And I don’t mean to be disrespectful or anything, but I can’t help but wonder if your good intentions may or may not be misinterpreted by some. Sure all those toys, games, books and gadgets are fun, and I mean it sincerely when I say “children need toys,” as play is an important part of a child’s development. Heck, even I revel in the distraction of an occasional puzzle or game, what with the U.S. election results and the president-elect’s post-election cabinet picks. But have you looked at those children in..., oh I don’t know, let me close my eyes and put my finger on a world map…, Aleppo? Have you seen the look in the eyes of those kids? Surely no one with a beating heart…
Wait, wait, let me try that again, but this time just in the U.S. …, hmmm, my finger takes me to North Dakota and a young native American child holding a sign, “I can live without oil. I cannot live without water.”
Again…, this time it stops in Flint, Michigan.
Hold on, Santa, I’m just going to keep it local, right here in Privatopia. Shouldn’t be any problems with children here, right?
But, Santa, did you know that, according to Psychology Today, children raised in more "affluent households show a significant increase in health issues, like depression, anxiety and substance abuse,” like almost 2-to-1? It turns out that some children of privilege are afflicted with an illness, called “affluenza,” which retards their psychological, emotional and social development. Now I don’t know if it’s true, but a common story making the gossip circuit in Privatopia is that there is a father here who hands a blank check to our Privatopia association at the beginning of each year with the statement: “This is for any fines my children incur. Just fill in the amount at the end of the year and let me know the total.”
Santa, can you see where I’m going with this? It can’t just be about money and possessions. There are more important things in life. Right?
Aw, I’m sorry, Santa. I don’t mean to rag on you. You’re probably just like me, hoping to do things that make the world a better place for all. Hey, keep up the good work!
And by the way, you know that tip you sent me this past summer about keeping my locks as “glistening white” as yours with the use of Ajax? Well, that may have worked for you, pal, but I’m telling you it took a solid week of coconut oil conditioning to get anything that remotely resembled softness back to my hair. But, like I said, “keep up the good work.” I appreciate your effort.
your pal,
Rae
courtesy of the New York Times |
courtesy of me (notice part of my blue & white "Privatopia" sticker in the lower right corner) |
If you want to see last year's Santa letter:
http://topeacenquiet.blogspot.com/2015/12/christmas-in-privatopia.html
“To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds” ― William James
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