miracles

JRS asked today:  "When was the last time you believed in miracles or magic?"  By that question, she referred to something beyond a sense of wonder and appreciation and more like the things we'd call acts of God.


I stopped believing in these types of miracles sometime around 12.  And this got me thinking, when will my daughter stop believing in these things.  She is only 8 and she just announced today that she is not sure she believes in the existence of Santa Claus because he does not make logical sense. How can one man be everywhere in the world at once? And why isn't he cold? 

As we grow older and become more rational, our focus shifts from the miraculous and unexplained to the truth behind the miracle. We become curious and more interested in the workings of the magic, rather than the magic itself.  Eventually, once we understand our own ability to create magic, we stop waiting for a miracle.  Instead, we create our own miracles and make our childhood dreams come true.  

One of my favorite stories growing up was the Scarlet Sails. In it, a young girll encounters an old man who claims to be a wizard and promises the girl that one day a prince will come on a ship with scarlet sails to carry her away. As the girl grows older, everyone makes fun of her dream, but she firmly believes that it will come true one day. Eventually, a nobleman’s son becomes the captain of a merchant ship and comes upon a young maiden sleeping in the forest. Upon inquiring about her, he learns about her dream and makes it come true by sailing on the ship with scarlet sails into the port where she lives.

This is a fairy tale, but it is an example of how we can make miracles every day. Isn’t it a miracle that parents bring the dream of Santa to life every Christmas morning?  

There are also lots of every day miracles, like loosing a job and finding a new one without dying of stress or finding true love through the internet dating website.  And what about the miracles of friendship and kindness? These types of miracles are everywhere, you just have to look around and pay attention.

 I told my daughter that believing in Santa is a matter of choice. She could choose to believe in Santa and if she does, he will come.  It is like choosing to believe in a dream.  Or like choosing to believe in God. 

After thinking about it, she decided to put out some carrots for the rain deer, along side the cookies she is going to bake for Santa.  So, at least for one more year, Santa will be visiting our home.

ho-ho-ho!