Santa

I am seven having
Just seen Santa, hoping,
With the spirit of Christmas,
For all the joys of the season
As are all my sibs, each of us
With stockings hung on the
Chimney mantle watching
Scrooge on TV together
As I would later do with
My sons to awaken an
The urge to give and
Share with others
Not just once a
Year but all
Year long,
To pass
On
Memories
Of family at
Holidays, each
Son seeing through
Their eyes what meant
Something to them, a
Lesson I learned too
Slowly but took to
Heart, each son
Would grow to
Be uniquely
Themself
To pick
Their
Own
Path to
Santa and
Celebrating
The birth of a
Teacher of love
And forgiveness.
Though at seven I
Was more concerned
With presents candy and
The holiday, free of school
Or daily chores, or childhood
Fears, at least for a few
Days once a year
When even the
Adults were
Happy.
Later
I learned
My mother
Was Jewish
Which was why
She encouraged us
To question rather accept
On faith the morals taught by
Our particular society and
To see morals as what
Others told us was
Right but ethics
As what we
Knew in
Our
Hearts
Was right,
And so Santa
Has always
Seemed
Ethical
To me
And
The joy
Of sharing
Lasts all year.