Recently I heard the late William Faulkner, Nobel Prize winner for literature, at the height of his popularity was being paid $10 a word to write.
One of his fans, for the sake of fun, sent Faulkner a note with a $10 bill enclosed and asked him: "In your opinion, what is the most important word in the English language?" Faulkner replied with one word "Thanks." He kept the $10.
Now, that story makes us smile and maybe chuckle a bit, but there's a whole lot to it. In this day and age, what was once considered accepted behavior is now commented upon as being "exceptional." I will give you some examples,
We were taught to speak to everyone. Daddy always said, "It doesn't cost a thing to speak and be pleasant." In today's world, and I am going to level this with the under 30 age group, you are hard-pressed to have one who will speak to you and say "Hello, how are you?" But then, it takes parents teaching children to have social skills, which requires time and, shudder to think, discipline. I regret to inform you that Bubba and Suzie Q, no matter how handsome or beautiful, will NOT learn acceptable social skills on a social network and, if they do, maybe we should praise them by saying "Good job" rather than giving a trophy for "batting your eyes correctly." I worked with one of the millennials who is now fairly high up in a major state agency and was in charge of a huge component of a sector in state government that affected the lives of many. He looked at me one day after making many great charts and graphs and doing most of the administrator's computer work and said, "Did you know that in this community there is a big nursing home?" "Yes," I responded, "and there has been for over half a century, but you have to get out of the office and away from your computer to find out these things." He didn't like it and I didn't care.
If I were writing a letter to Santa Claus this year, this might be my letter:
Dear Santa,
I am not going to lie to you. I have not been all together good nor bad this year. I am ashamed of losing my temper at times and I am ashamed I am not more tolerant of truly narrow-minded people, but I am working on it.
I am ashamed I have spent too much time and effort worrying what certain individuals think of me who are part of my past. I have decided the past is the best place for them to stay. We all make mistakes, Santa and the important thing is to learn from those mistakes. We can't help what other people do and what they think. We can only help what we do and the way we treat others.
I am not asking for anything of a material nature. I am asking, if you see fit, for me to spend a wonderful Christmas surrounded by those I hold dear to my heart.
I ask you to help others to see, not just "look," but see there are many in our area who suffer not from material want, but from the worst kind of poverty, which is loneliness. Many have lost most of the friends in their age group, their spouses, and when they think of Christmas, many have a tough time. Help me and others be more tuned in to doing what we can, when we can, to help, even in a small way, to relieve some of this.
You know all about the pandemic, Santa, as I saw you not too long ago being a "safe Santa." Thank you for setting that positive example for others and as always, for being thoughtful of others.
I think of so many of our little four-legged friends, dogs and cats and other creatures great and small, who will suffer during this holiday season.
Now, as to me and, no secrets from you Santa, there aren't many, but there are a few people, very few, I have found it very hard to forgive. Finally, I mastered forgiving them, but here is my trouble, no one here on earth has taught me yet how to forget, although a number of these who are lounge lizards by choice are occupying less and less of my mind.
As l close this letter to you, I thank you I was "raised" and not just "brought up." I’m thankful that I had a daddy and mother who loved me and who took time to teach me how to act and respect others. If I failed doing this, it was my failure, Santa, not theirs.
I’m thankful I have never gone hungry, (this will bring a laugh from many) and I thank you for many friends who have added value to my life. When you are in the presence of someone and you come away feeling your life has been enriched just by being in their presence; that's a gift.
I’m thankful for my earthly family, for wonderful memories, and I am thankful for forgiveness. A constant prayer I pray and plea to God is "forgive me," because I fail not just day to day but from moment to moment and sometimes from second to second. I thank God for forgiveness and I thank you for it too, Santa Claus. I thank you for my church family, my pastor, my community and the fact I am a citizen of the United States of America. In my opinion, I have spent my life in the best part of the United States and among some of the finest people in the world.
Finally, Santa, teach me to say and express that word Mr. Faulkner felt was the most important word in the English language - "Thanks."
Thanks to you for helping us keep the spirit of Christmas alive, and thanks to my friend, Bruce Witton, over in White Springs, who was born across the pond in Great Britain, but who has been in America for many a day. He is a wonderful representative of the Spirit of Christmas. In fact, many people believe he is kin to you? Is there any truth to that Santa?
Thanks to all the brave souls working in health care professions, law enforcement, our educational personnel, those working in correctional facilities, emergency responders and those checking our groceries and merchandise at area stores. These folks put their lives on the line each day. I am asking if you would to put a little something extra in their stocking, Santa. They deserve it.
Thanks Santa for the glorious gift of childish laughter and joy. May we always keep the spirit of Christmas alive by realizing the miracle and the reason for this season is truly to say thanks. Thanks for the birth of our Savior and thanks for all your love, all the time and each day.
Oh, and this is selfish, Santa, help me become motivated to compile a book from my articles "Around the Banks of the Suwannee" and to possibly write a children's book. I will need all your encouragement. I believe in you. You have never failed me.
With sincere thanks,
Johnny Bullard
From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you all a day filled with joy, peace and above all, lots of love and laughter.