SOOT IN THE FLUES

Do you realize this is the Nov. Dec. issue, the Christmas issue? No, I'm not kidding, it really is. Only 105 more days till Christmas, and the way this fast moving world moves, you'll have to do your Christmas shopping early for if you wait too long, come Christmas you won't be able to buy anything but summer articles! Well, it almost seems that way, doesn't it? Our Jan.-Feb. issue does come out the first of Dec. though, so maybe this is really the Christmas issue, but this is Nov.-Dec. number so may I be the first to wish you all a Blessed Christmas-and let's really make it that! We are so blessed and should be so thankful for all our good fortunes. Are you grateful enough? Am I grateful enough? I don't think so. We mean to be, but I think we take too much for granted. Like so many things in this world, we fool so much with the preliminaries and the details of Christmas that we miss the real point. Let's make a special effort this year to slow up a little and think of the true meaning and put forth our efforts in the right direction. Let's really help someone someone who needs help. Let's make someone happy who has been less fortunate than ourselves. Let's stop worrying about how much we should or shouldn't send Aunt Mert and Uncle Clem, probably ending up getting them something they don't need anyhow, or want! I often think- wouldn't it be nice to take all the money for ! the gifts and outfit an underprivileged child, and tell each person you were going to get a gift what you did with it, in their name. Just a thought and I'm sure you don't all agree. Understand, I like gifts too, and I think it is nice to remember those you love, : but what I am getting at is we place too much emphasis on these things and we are too concerned with material things. We could lessen our personal gifts and take some of that money to really do some good in so many ways. And we can give ourselves, after all that is what Christmas should be, giving of ourselves. When we give love, we get love back, and when we give happiness, we get happiness. And when you do something for someone simply because you want to help, you get a wonderful feeling that you can't buy, steal or be given, it's the reward for an unselfish gesture.

Well, I better sign off - and I had nothing to say. Sorry if I seemed to preach or lecture, I just get carried away with my thoughts. I hope I can practice some of what I said. It's easier to say than to accomplish.