This is a site of uplifting and thought provoking posts

I’m sure we all have a view of who and what we are but If you’re like me I sometimes wonder if that vision is an honest and correct one and if it’s how others view me.

It’s kind of like my surfing. I have a pretty good idea of what I’m doing on a wave looks but have no way of being certain until I either see photos or film of it and can view it from the outside looking in so to speak.

Without that perspective I might either be too harsh regarding my performance or too boastful or overly positive about it.

Of late, I’ve thought a great deal about the main characters in my novels which I have spent a great many years developing and living with so to speak. As I’ve stepped back from them of late and looked at them from the outside, I’ve come to wonder how I truly feel about them and what I could learn about myself through them.

I’m sure I am like most writers in that I tend to infuse my view of the world and to a degree myself into my main characters. While I certainly didn’t go into it with that in mind, after stepping back from it I can certainly see that I have.

The issues I tend to struggle with are all their, how I want to be treated and treat others are there as well are my hopes and dreams. I can also see how I view the world and people as well as  how I’d like the world and it’s people to be. By stepping back, I’ve discovered the things in others and myself that I both admire and distain.

Especially through analyzing my main character, whom I have come to realize is much like me in many ways and who also possesses the alter ego of me that I’d like to be, I’ve tried to determine if I’ve lived up to the ideals and character that I’ve infused in him.

From that analysis I’ve come to see his flaws as well as my own as well as the strengths and gifts we both possess. I’ve learned a great deal about how I’ve dealt with the disappointments I’ve experienced, the way I tend to deal with relationships and my views on love, friendship and what matters the most to me.

I’ve come to realize,  in much the same way as seeing pictures of me surfing, that my self view hasn’t always been spot on . In my portrayal of my characters, however, the truth seems to flow out unconsciously and most likely paints a more accurate self portrait.

Bottom line, stepping back and making that honest self-assessment has helped me to see the things I needed to change about myself to become a better and stronger me. On the flip side, I’ve been able to better embrace the parts of me that are good and remarkable. After all, shouldn’t we all be about enlightenment and self actualization?

I’m not saying everyone needs to write a novel in order to gain self actualization but I do believe sitting down and writing your personal story might give you a better view of yourself much in the same way as asking others about how they view us does. The only difference is that the former is often a lot less painful and easier to take than the latter is even though it’s just as beneficial.

Thanks for checking in and I wish you the best on your personal journey towards self-actualization.

Aloha, Paul

In my mind there are three kinds of people when it comes to self image. There are those who think they are better than they are, there are those that see themselves pretty much as they are and those who see themselves as less than who they are.

The ones with too high of a self esteem tend to believe they, their skills and talents are much greater than they really are and as such are more valuable than others. This most likely can be so for a number of reasons. They might honestly believe they are better than others. They might also be insecure and use it as a means of protecting themselves or to make themselves feel better or more important or lastly as a façade hoping to gain acceptance or an advantage.

I believe there are pros and cons to having such a self image. From a positive standpoint, having a well or over developed self image might actually enable the individual to achieve things they might not otherwise be able to. Their apparent high self esteem and positive self image might make them appear to be a better candidate in a job interview as they would appear well suited to advancement and taking on new and difficult challenges. People who surround themselves around that person might feel like they have their proverbial shit together and as such would the cool ones to hang around. They are also the ones who usually end up running things.

From a negative standpoint, they might simply be self absorbed, selfish or egotistical individuals or not truly the person they purport to be. In addition, as they have often overstated their abilities they might not be able to back up their talk and be able to walk the walk so to speak.

Those that see themselves pretty much as they are and how others see them are a pretty rare breed indeed. They are as they say, “what you see is what you get” folks. They are comfortable in their own skin and honest about their shortcomings as well as their gifts and talents. They generally make good, honest  and loyal friends and should be trusted.

These individuals are probably not the ones who end up running big businesses or the world for those very reasons and generally aren’t the fiercest of competitors nor are they likely to be the biggest risk takers.

Those with either an under-developed or negative self image often discount their value or don’t feel they are capable of, or deserving of, greatness or success. Even though they may be very talented and capable, in an interview those things might not come across and they might be rejected even though they might be the best candidate. They might not also fulfill their potential as a result and still others may simply give up because they figure why bother.

Some, on the other hand might just be humble, self-effacing types who are afraid to boast, or they might also have come to be that way because of being degraded or discouraged along the way which has broken their spirit. Either way, other might not be able to discern the difference and try to take advantage of their apparent weaknesses.

Surprisingly though, in order to try and prove themselves to others, they often become fierce competitors and the type who try to overachieve.

As I take an honest assessment of myself I believe at times I have been all of the above for one reason or another. As a child coming from an abusive and negative home environment, I came away from it with a very poor self image. It left me feeling like I was a bit defective and not all that talented. As a result, I found myself always trying to prove myself which actually made me a fierce competitor. To mask my poor self image I compensated at times by acting like a bit of a know it all to the point of sometimes seeming cocky which both helped and hurt me.

Over time and after much self analysis and personal growth and maturity, I’ve found myself moving more towards the middle and have a much better overall self image and feel more comfortable with who and what I am. Along the way, I have fortunately received help and support from friends and family who have been honest with me about how they view me both from a positive and negative viewpoint. I also realize I will always struggle to a degree with my self image and that there’s always work to be done, which I believe is a good thing.

While I am starting to become more and more cognizant of my gifts and talents though, sometimes I still need to be reminded of them. With regards to my surfing, I know I surf pretty well especially at my age but as I generally surf with really good and much younger people I tend to often measure my ability with theirs which while I know isn’t great.

During a recent session with a great group of really good surfing buddies, My friend Donald said, “I don’t know if you realize it but you are not your everyday surfer. You are really good”. Donald’s comments  though very positive and heart warming, came as a bit of a shock to me. After thinking about it though I finally came to the conclusion that he wasn’t just trying to be nice and that what he had said was true.

For years I was a professional snowboard instructor, and a lead one at that, but as most of my compatriots were younger than me and very talented, I tended to downplay my abilities. Last year, after a long absence from the slopes, I found myself struggling a bit with my form. It took me a while to regain it and as I thought about what I used to do on the slopes with ease, I finally realized I was in fact a really good snowboarder.

I guess the point to all of this is, (I know it often takes me quite a bit to get to the point and I apologize for it) it takes all kinds to run a world. We actually need all three kinds of people or we’d all be clones and the world most likely wouldn’t run as well or as interesting.

Bottom line though, it’s important to be at peace with who and what we are and accept our gifts and talents. It’s even more important though to be true to ourselves and always trying to learn, grow and be the best us we can be and most of all not sell ourselves or others short or be judgmental of others.

Thanks for checking in and I Hope you have a great week.

Aloha, Paul

Ok I admit it, sometimes I get a little down and frustrated over things. Who doesn’t? I get concerned over things like global warming and climate change, terrorism and senseless killing, political infighting, lack of world peace, hatred and war.

Those are the biggies but there seems to also be little things to worry about like our financial well being, why won’t my books sell better, is it worth writing a weekly blog when so few people read it, why can’t I get my screenplay accepted, am I truly making a difference in the world despite my sincere and best efforts to do so. Lastly, there is always the personal family stuff most of us deal with from time to time.

I used to worry a lot about dying but I don’t anymore as I honestly feel blessed to have made it this far especially when I consider the sports I’ve chosen to pursue like surfing and snowboarding.

I also have to admit I get a bit bummed out from reading and hearing so much negative talk on the internet, TV, radio and  facebook about all of the issues of the day and from seeing how angry people seem to be about so many things. It seems at times we have all lost hope and would rather complain than try and do whatever we can to create the positive change that would make things better.

What I’ve been trying to do whenever I get into a funk (sometimes more successfully than at others), is to try and turn my thought process around, look at the brighter side of things and determine what I can do to make a difference in the things that are bugging me rather that sitting back and complaining or stressing over them.

Sure I can’t alone change what’s going on in our planet but I can do my little bit to become a better environmental citizen and volunteer my time as an environmental activist. Maybe I can’t change the hearts and minds of terrorists and evil mongers but I can at least do my part by sharing my love and compassion with others and paying things forward.

Rather than stressing over my personal situation, which I’ve come to finally realize I only have so much control over, I can instead keep on writing my books and my blog for those who do read them and  take away something positive from them, keep hunting for a potential producer to take on my screenplay and at the very least continue to sharpen my skills to make my chance of doing so better.

Most of all, I can continue to try and change for the better, be open to new ideas, be willing to compromise and do the best I can at whatever I’m doing.

I always seem to use surfing analogies when trying to reconcile life because it seems that life often imitates surfing for me. There are those times, seemingly more often than not as I get older, when things just don’t seem to be clicking for me during a session and it can easily become frustrating for me.

At those times I have a choice of paddling in and hoping my next session will be better, or staying out and making the best of it. Sometimes it’s me whose the problem as I’m either a bit slow or out of rhythm. At others my poor performance might be due to lousy wave conditions (It’s always easier to blame to conditions).

What I’ve found works for me at those times is to stay out, try and figure out a way to make the best of the situation and try as best I can to enjoy myself. Generally after doing so my performance improves, but even when it doesn’t I at the very least try and hold onto the memory of the one good ride or that I was fortunate to have gotten a good workout and blessed to have been able to surf at all. Believe me, at my age I feel blessed to be able to still be enjoying this wonderful sport and life itself.

So I leave my blog post today with the hope that whatever is troubling you won’t be too much of a burden and that you too can find that silver lining that gets you past those frustrating thoughts and leaves you with a feeling of hope and peace.

Thanks for checking in and I will see you next week.

Aloha, Paul

Have you ever noticed how it seems like sometimes when you get a financial windfall, that you think you can go ahead and bank, that something always seems to come up shortly there after which claims that money?

It’s almost like there are little money Gremlins who wait until just that very moment to take the money away from you. I don’t know about you but it seems like it happens to me a lot.

Recently I received a little Christmas money and after selling one of my surfboards I figured I could bank the money and save it for a trip or to purchase something cool down the road.

Before I could even get to the bank my car door jam broke and our old toilet stopped working. Even so, I wasn’t about to let the money Gremlins get the best of me and take my money this time around like they often do.

After fiddling with the car door I got it to open and close and even though it doesn’t catch, which makes me have to hold it the entire time and risk having it slam against me, at least I can live with it as is for the time being.

As far as the toilet was concerned, even though it required a full replacement of all of it’s guts and nuts and bolts, after pricing a new toilet and the installation fee, I decided to do the work myself.

It ended up taking me a good bit of an afternoon to pull it apart and fix it, (yes I actually read and followed the instructions this time) but in the end I got it fixed. Remarkably it also worked well and I didn’t even curse one single time during the process. As such, I was pretty pleased with myself and elated that I had seemingly outwitted those money grubbing Gremlins this time around.

Silly me though, I should realize by now that I most likely will never get the best of those nasty little critters. No more than a day later our refrigerator broke down and we had to pay $425.00 to get it fixed. Bottom line, they won this time around.

At first I was pretty bummed out about it all but in the end I decided I wasn’t about to give those selfish Gremlins that satisfaction. I realized I had two options. I could either feel like a victim by thinking, “Poor me. It really sucks that I can never get ahead financially”, or I could try to look at it from a more positive standpoint of “Well at least I had the money for he emergency and saved some dough on the other things”.

Bottom line, we are all faced with challenges from time to time but it’s our choice as to how we deal with them and whether or not we let the Gremlins in our lives get the better of us. I’m hoping I don’t ever again give them that opportunity.

Thanks for checking in and I hope you have a great, Gremlin free week.

Aloha, Paul

 This Morning on the news they said that about 45% of the population makes New Years resolutions and only about 8% actually keep them. It made me wonder if we aren’t just kidding ourselves in the belief that we will keep them and if it’s actually worth going through the process of deciding what resolutions to make.

For the longest time I bought into the process but to be honest as there was too much stress involved with trying to decide what one(s) to make and then trying to live up to those expectations, I finally decided to stop trying altogether.

Sure I’d like to resolve to improve our financial well being and be a better person or have my screen play produced but in reality there’s really a lot that goes into it all and I’m left wondering  how do I pick the one thing that will do that for me because too many resolutions and sub resolutions are simply too many to keep up with.

As such, I’ve decided to simply try each and every day to be a better me, focus on what needs to be done that day and  to really think about what’s important and the best way to achieve my goals.

Way back in my business career I worked with a guy named Joe who was showing me the ropes, and after seeing how discombobulated I got when trying to solve a problem or work through a presentation that he told me, “Don’t think Paul you only weaken the team”. Though brutal to hear at the time,  Joe was right about me. I did tend to overthink things and was a lot better off if I just believed in my instincts and abilities. His advice has served me well over the years.

Sometimes we get so invested in trying to hit our one big goal that we forget to take care of the little things that actually make us and our situation better. We also forget to enjoy the journey and the process.

Sure it would be great to get back to our High School weight or obtain financial success but so what if we don’t. To me it’s kind of like riding a wave. It’s ridiculous to decide what we’re going to do on a wave before it even gets to us. Instead, we simply catch it then take what it gives us then make the most of it.

It’s kind of like life, every day brings with it new challenges and opportunities and we have to adjust to them. If we are so intent on focusing on that one thing we decided to have as a resolution then we might miss out on what we really need to do to make the most of our time and energy and to deal with those challenges and opportunities.

So for me, while I like to have an overall plan, I think it’s best to simply try and be the best person I can be each day and focus on the things I have control over and simply enjoy the ride. If I don’t then I’m afraid I most likely will only weaken the team.

Here’s wishing you a very happy New Year and that you enjoy your ride over the coming year.

Aloha, Paul

Santa wasn’t at all too pleased with himself and even considered putting himself on the naughty list. He too had become engrossed and caught up in he technology craze and as such had made and delivered tons of cell phones, cellular devices and what not to people throughout the world over the previous decade or so.

He now was very troubled by the way those devices seemed to have kept people from spending quality time together rather than bringing them closer together as he had hoped. Instead of using them to simply connect with family, friends and loved ones to share the joy of the holiday, he noticed they were instead being used to do all sorts of other things that in effect dis-connected them with their families and loved ones.

He saw families who though were together physically, not really communicating with each other or spending quality time together, especially on Christmas and it troubled him deeply.

As this Christmas neared he called a meeting with the Elves to get their opinion on the subject and gain in their wisdom. The Eves admitted that they too were troubled by what they had witnessed and felt guilty for helping make the devices in the first place. They also advised Santa that while they could still see the potential good in the devices, at the same time they hoped people could at least for one day putt them aside and truly enjoy each other’s company which hopefully would change their habits going forward.

Their words and advice gave Santa a wonderful idea. He decided to use his magic to give the world and families in particular a day without the distraction of cellular devices.

As he entered each home to leave his presents, he cast a one day spell upon the house where each cell phone or tablet would only work if the individual was calling a loved one and for nothing else. Knowing it might cause chaos if people tried to use their phones and they didn’t work, he left a note regarding what he had done and wished for them a very merry cell free Christmas.

Although some folks mumbled and groaned over what he had done, for the most part his plan worked to the tee. Instead of checking their facebook statuses, tweeting, checking their various apps and watching whatever they watched on them, they put them aside and enjoyed the beauty of the day spent together with family and friends.

They discussed the topics of the day, told stories of Christmases past, played games, went on walks together, enjoyed mass together and re-connected with each other through simply being together and enjoying each other’s company.

Seeing families thusly filled Santa and the Elves with joy and left them with the hope that having truly re-connected with each other that from here on out folks would keep technology in perspective and remember how much more joy they received from “really” being together.

I hope you enjoyed my 2015 Christmas story and my wish and prayer is that everyone re-connect this day with family, friends and loved ones, especially those that might be alone or feeling disconnected from the world.

Peace and love to you and yours.

Aloha, Paul

This is the story I wrote last Christmas. I hope you like it. Tomorrow I will be posting my new annual Christmas story.

Last night I asked Santa for a special gift. I asked him if he could send us snow for Christmas.

It had been years since I had been able to go snowboarding and I really missed it. We had moved to Jacksonville nine years ago and we had only been back to our old ski area at Bryce Resort in Virginia to board and ski and visit friends twice since due in part to the distance and shortness of funds.

Sure surfing is great and I’m fortunate to be able to get in a lot of it but at the same time carving down a mountain in fresh powder is almost as exhilarating. In addition, I have yet to get my old body to pull off any sort of air on a wave but I can on ramps and rails on the slopes.

To be honest, I didn’t fall asleep with any high expectations. Jacksonville hadn’t received any measurable snow since we moved here and the forecast wasn’t predicting any. But as I still believe in miracles I held on to at least a glimmer of hope.

Well, you could have cut my enthusiasm with a knife when I woke up early this morning to find we had received a full eighteen inches of snow overnight. While I couldn’t wait to get out in it, since it’s so flat around these parts, I couldn’t think of a place nearby where I could actually do some real boarding.

To my amazement, when I turned on the TV to the local news, they were showing video from their helicopter of the area bridges where there was no traffic as they were not plowed. As they showed the clip taken over the Beach Blvd. Bridge, I thought, “Now that’s a slope I could ride on my board for sure”.

I was also pleased to hear the reporter say the local bridges and streets wouldn’t be plowed until later in the day as they first needed to get the major highways plowed and as such they warned people to stay off the streets as it wasn’t safe and that if they got stuck they’d be fined.

Knowing I had excellent snow driving skills from all my years living up north, I figured I should be able to make my way to the bridge safely. Either way though I knew I at least had to at least try.

When I told Kathy about my plan she said I was nuts but after assuring her I would be OK she finally gave in and said, “Go ahead but don’t expect me to come pick you up or bail you out of jail if you get stuck or caught”. I took that as an emphatic yes and went and got my snowboard and gear together.

Before leaving, I called my buddies Donald, Donny, Jed and Danny and asked them to find any sled, board or other riding instrument they could find and then meet me at the bridge. As all but Donald lived within walking distance and were daredevils in their own right then agreed. Donald was willing also but as he didn’t live close to the bridge he was hesitant to go. I told him since his house was on the way that I would pick him up which was good enough for him.

It took me every bit of an hour to make my way to Donald’s house and to the bridge as along the way I/we got stuck more than a few times. But when we finally made it there and saw how untouched the snow was we were totally stoked and knew it was worth the effort.

By the time we made it to the top of the bridge, what with me and my snowboard and Donald with his plastic sled that he planed on riding stand-up, we saw our other buddies coming up the other side. Jed was carrying his boogie board, Donny and old pair of water skis and Danny an old surfboard with filed down fins and each was wearing a huge grin on their face.

On our first run down the bridge we decided to go side-by-side which was something hilarious to behold for sure by anyone who witnessed it. Fortunately we all made it down in one piece but not without a lot of bumping into each other and the occasional fall. The closest anyone came to disaster was Donny who ran into the guard rail and almost flipped off the side of the bridge and into the inter-coastal.

After high fives and much laughter we brushed ourselves off and headed back to the top for another run. After a few more runs we started to become pretty creative with our descents. We built several jumps and started trying all sorts of tricks. I, for one, was stoked to finally catch some serious air and I felt like a grom again.

During one of our descents, the news helicopter flew overhead and filmed our performances. They must have shown the coverage live as soon a large contingent of people showed up to watch us. Buoyed by all of the attention, we pulled out all the stops and tried some outrageous maneuvers, some of which worked and some of which we crashed and burned on. Either way, we certainly enjoyed all of the applause and attention we received.

As I was attempting one really cool jump that would have made Shaun White proud, I felt a tug on my night shirt and a voice in my ear saying “wake up”. As I emerged from my dream state I noticed it was my wife Kathy who said, “That must have been some crazy dream you were having because you were bouncing all over the place and mumbling incessantly”.

“You have no idea”, I replied before kissing her, wishing her a merry Christmas then running to the window to see if it really had snowed. After seeing none, I then turned to Kathy with a frown and said, “Crap it didn’t snow after all”.

Kathy looked at me quizzically and asked, “What did you expect? After all we live in Jacksonville silly”.

So, my friends, I hope you enjoyed my story and I hope your dreams come through this Christmas even if they are only in your dreams.

Love and aloha, Paul

Below is another installment of my past years annual Christmas stories. I will be posting one more this week before posting a new one Christmas day. I hope you enjoy this one.

Hugh was awakened Christmas morning by the streams of light that were filtering through the shades of his bedroom window in he and his wife’s Jacksonville home. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes he remembered it was Christmas and whispered Merry Christmas to his sleeping wife.

As the kids had grown nd moved out there was no reason to rush out and open presents. Instead, feeling a bit frisky he gently rubbed his wife’s  back until she stirred. “Not now” was her response before adding. “That’s on your gift list but you’ll have to wait”.

“Awe come on, you know I can’t wait”, Hugh replied with a pout.

“How old are you? I swear you’re worse than the kids were when trying to get us up early to open their presents”. She then smiled and said, “Well you have been a good boy this year so I guess it’s the least I can do for you”.

Following their wonderful lovemaking, the couple lay in each other’s arms for a while as they watched the morning news. To their amazement there were no reports of traumatic events and the news that was presented was all positive and heartwarming.

In the lead story the commentator said the Republicans and Democrats had vowed to quit their squabbling and had worked out a bi-partisan economic stimulus package.

There was also a report on developments in the Middle East that pointed towards peace in the region and a smooth transition towards democratic rule and improved individual rights.

Surprisingly, many major corporations had come together and vowed to increase the minimum wages of their employees as well as to give substantial wage increases to their employees so they could live more comfortably and also as they realized that it would enable their employees to purchase more good which would be good for the economy.

The following story was even more astonishing. In an unprecedented move the oil companies had announced an end to near and off-shore oil drilling and a shift to the search and development of safe alternative energy sources.

Upon hearing the news Hugh and Susie looked at each other in total amazement and pinched themselves to make sure they were really awake.

After showering, Hugh made his way to the kitchen where he made Susie her favorite meal of blueberry pancakes and sausage. As he worked he took in all of the holiday splendor that surrounded him. The couple, despite being alone that Christmas had fully decorated their home and it looked beautiful. As Christmas was his favorite time of year he thanked God for his blessings and for sending down his son who was the reason for the season.

As Jon cooked, he considered going surfing afterwards as the day was expected to be a warm one and with the light off-shores that were expected. As such, he knew the conditions would be good. Remembering his promise to Susie to not surf that day, however, he tried to dismiss those thoughts.

After enjoying their wonderful meal the two opened the few presents they had given each other. For his part, Jon was particularly excited over receiving a new wet suit as his current one was starting to leak. The only problem associated with it all was that it only made him want to rush out and make use of it.

To his amazement and delight, after seeing how happy he was over his gift, Susie looked at him, smiled and said, “I have one other gift for you”.

Hugh looked at her quizzically and replied, “I thought we did that before breakfast”.

Susie laughed and said, “Well you’re right but as I know you’re dying to go surfing, after church we’ll head up to Little Talbot Island so you can”.

Hugh literally jumped for joy then lifted Susie off of her feet and kissed her before saying, “You’re the best wife in the world”.

Mass that morning was a beautiful and uplifting one and as Jon sat in reflection he thanked God for helping to get through all of the tough times especially since the loss of his job and that somehow he knew things would turn around for them.

He then reflected on how he wished his sister, their kids and  families could be with them this day to make it an even more memorable one. Unfortunately, as they lived far away he figured they would have to settle for phone calls.

The beach and ocean at Little Talbot Island was fairly deserted when they arrived but the surf was as good as he had hoped. There were clean, chest-high waves coming in in long lines from the outside and carrying all the way to the inside.

Jon made good use of his new wet-suit and had a most memorable session especially after his friend Matty showed up and surfed with him for a good two hours or so.

Upon their return home the couple was surprised to see their driveway and street filled with cars and their hearts were filled with gladness when they saw, standing in front of their entry way, his sister along with their children and grandchildren who upon seeing them yelled, “Surprise, Merry Christmas”.

As Hugh sat in the midst of his family he thanked God for the blessing he had bestowed upon them and wondered how on earth the day could get any better. As he was contemplating his good fortune the phone rang and after answering it he was pleased to find it was his good friend and agent Ben.

Ben sounded excited and after sharing pleasantries he informed Jon that the producer they had been working with for quite some time, who had been considering the screen-play he had written based on his novel, had finally accepted it and was going to move forward with it.

Hugh was left speechless for a moment but after the reality set in he replied, “You wouldn’t screw with me on Christmas about something this important would you. I had begun to wonder if this was ever going to come together and I would hate to think this is another one of your sick pranks”.

“No bro, I would never screw with your emotions on something this big. I just wanted to help make your day. Call me tomorrow and we can discuss it further. Merry Christmas”.

“Same to you my friend and thanks for making my day”, Hugh replied before hanging up the phone. After hanging up he did a little victory dance and after informing his family of the good new he exclaimed, “This has absolutely been the best Christmas ever”.

The end.

I hope you enjoyed my story and although I know it’s all a pipe dream one can at least hope it could all happen. take care and pray for peace.

Aloha, Paul

It was already mid-September and Santa was concerned. Elf vacation had ended in July and usually by this time the Elves had already completed making a good portion of the years presents. Dumbfounded and wanting to get to the bottom of things Santa called for a meeting with the Elves.

After they had all gathered he asked, “Ho, Ho, Ho, so what’s going on? Thus far you haven’t made a single present and even though you might be able to make up ground, if you work overtime, I’m concerned you won’t finish by Christmas eve”.

As a spokesperson for the Elves, the head Elf stood up on a bench and proclaimed, “You’re right Santa, we haven’t made a single present yet and even though we could finish them by Christmas we don’t intend to do so. This year we are going on strike”.

Normally Santa was a very patient and understanding soul and as such not prone to outbursts but in this case he became very perturbed as he inquired, “Why on earth would you refuse to make presents and go on strike? Don’t you realize that if we don’t give out presents this year  there could be chaos throughout the world and people might lose faith in you and me and stop believing in Christmas altogether? So what is it that you want me to do for you so you’ll go back to work? Do you want more vacation time, hot cocoa or better benefits”?

Although the head Elf was intimidated by Santa’s stern tone and line of questioning, he decided to stand his ground and in his very shaky little Elf voice replied, “No Santa, it’s not about our benefits and hot cocoa or anything you’ve done. You provide us with everything we could ever want or need and we love it here. We do what we do for you and the love of Christmas”.

Confused, Santa rubbed his hairy chin and wriggled his nose, then inquired, “That’s wonderful but then why on earth are you going on strike”?

With all of the other Elves looking on encouragingly, the head Elf cleared his throat then exclaimed, “The truth is Santa, many people have already stopped believing in you and lost faith. On top of it all it seems like the more gadgets and toys we give them the less happy and fulfilled they seem to become. So why go through the effort”?

Now Santa was a wise old soul so he took to heart what the head Elf had told him and realized they had a good point. He then thought, then thought some more until he finally came up with a workable solution. He then rose from his chair, looked at the Elves, then replied with a smile and a twinkle of an eye, “I see your point my wise little friends and thanks for showing me the light. It seems like we have been so busy giving folks what they say they want that we’ve forgotten to give them what they truly need. So if you are all in agreement then let’s do just that”.

After hearing out Santa’s plan, the Elves jumped up and down and cheered their approval. When things had settled down the head Elf scratched his head and asked, “That’s a wonderful idea Santa but how are we going to do that? We’re just simple elves and have no idea of what each person needs and how to build it for them”.

Santa smiled knowingly as he replied, “You might not but I do so if you are willing to call off your strike I will share my plan with you. It’s actually a very simple one and that I am certain we can complete by Christmas eve. All we’ll need is some paper and pens as well as boxes, wrapping paper and bows”.

Totally baffled by Santa’s request but willing to go along with it, the head Elf said, “Ok Santa, we’ll call off the strike but you are going to have to help us understand your plan a bit better and what you want us to do because it doesn’t make much sense to us now”.

Santa laughed so hard that his belly shook like a bowl full of jelly. He then replied, “Well then gather around tight and I’ll whisper it to you so no spies will hear of our plan and spoil it”.

The Elves did as Santa had requested and after hearing him out cheered loudly then ran off to go about their tasks.

Though it took them every bit of the time they had left prior to Christmas eve, they somehow completed their mission. Santa thanked them profusely for their efforts then they loaded his sleigh with the gifts before Santa headed off through the lands to deliver them. As he took off from the North Pole it was with much trepidation as he wondered if, in fact, the gifts he believed they truly needed would be accepted and appreciated.

After Santa had completed his rounds and returned to the North Pole, he joined up with the Elves around the ginormous globe to watch as the people opened their presents. To their delight, their plan actually worked. Their presents were well received and it became one of the most joyous of Christmases in memory.

In each box was a note that told them what their special gift was for. For some it was the gift of hope. For others it was the gift of forgiveness, not just of being able to forgive but also of accepting forgiveness. He also gave out gifts of faith, charity, trust, friendship, peace of mind, courage, spiritual and psychological healing, joy and directions for helping those in need. For others he gave the gift of justice and freedom along with countless other gifts that each person truly needed. But the gift that was most treasured and given to all was the gift of love.

So from Santa, the Elves and me, whatever gift you truly need this Christmas and holiday season we hope and pray you receive it.

Thanks for checking in and I hope you enjoy my story and I’ll look forward to seeing you again within the week when I post my next story. In the interim have a safe and happy week and pray for peace.

Aloha, Paul

One Christmas some years ago, we purchased a huge Christmas tree for our home in the mountains of Virginia. We were excited because we had cut it down ourselves at a local Christmas tree farm.

Because it was so big and full we needed to buy more ornaments to fully cover the tree. We purchased them at a Christmas store that sold mostly old timey ones that were beautiful but very delicate and as such could break easily.

We also purchased a bunch of  Gingerbread man cookies which we poked holes in and hung on the tree with ribbons. When our family had finished decorating the tree we thought it was the most beautiful one we had ever had.

Apparently our Black Lab named Joey loved the tree equally as well but not for the same reason we did. During the weeks prior to Christmas we began to find pieces of ribbon on the floor of our living room and we scratched our heads wondering where they had come from.

We searched the tree for clues but could not find any. As all of the ornaments were in tact and quite a number of gingerbread cookies still hanging on it we figured the ribbons couldn’t have come from the tree. It thus remained a mystery to us.

One morning, just days before Christmas we were awakened by a loud crash. I snuck downstairs to find out what had caused the commotion and wondered if a burglar had busted in a window to steal something. When I finally made my way down to the living room, to my surprise I found the Christmas tree laying on it’s side.

Ornaments were scattered all over the room in bits and pieces and the place was a mess. In the corner of the room I spied our dog Joey. He was cowering in the corner looking like the cat that ate the canary. In his mouth was the evidence, a half eaten cookie.

The mystery was finally solved. Apparently Joey had eaten the low hanging cookies first then up and up until he could no longer reach them. Left wanting more, he eventually jumped up to grab one in his mouth and ended up pulling down the tree in the process. You can be sure we never hung gingerbread cookies on our tree again.

Although we later laughed over the catastrophe, we once again were left asking ourselves, “What on earth are we going to do with this dog”?

I hope you enjoyed my story. While all of my others are pure fiction this one was based on a real event. I actually wrote a whole series of children’s stories based on the crazy things our dog Joey did and I will post them after the holidays.

In the interim, have a great weekend, pray for peace and I’ll see you again  next week.

Aloha, Paul