Dear Unity Friends,

This week's inspiration is written by our own Kelly Zakrajsek.  Kelly is Unity in Community's Youth Coordinator.  In January, Kelly will join other youth leaders from around the country for a week at Unity Village.  There she will be a part of the Association of Unity Churches' curriculum writing team for 2009, creating and inspiring new youth material.  Kelly, we are so proud of you and so grateful for your service to Unity.

Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to The Sun in 1879 asking if Santa Claus was real.  Her father told her that if it was printed in The Sun then it would be true.  Virginia's letter was received by Francis P. Church, a son of a Baptist minister.  It was the perfect day for Virginia.  When controversial subjects had to be tackled on the editorial page, especially those dealing with theology, the assignments were usually given to Church. Now, he had in his hands a little girl's letter on a most controversial matter, and he was burdened with the responsibility of answering it.  At once, Church knew that there was no avoiding the question.  He must answer, and he must answer truthfully.  And so he turned to his desk, and he began his reply, which was to become one of the most memorable editorials in newspaper history.

Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.  He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.  How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus!  There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.  We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight.  The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.  Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus.  The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.  Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn?  Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there.  Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.  Only faith, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond.  Is it all real?  Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.  No Santa Claus!  Thank God!  He lives and lives forever.  A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

During this Christmas Season, remember Virginia O'Hanlon with her Christ Light lit, knowing the truth existed no matter what anyone else said; she wrote her letter to The Sun to find out the  truth.  Not only did she know the Truth but she was willing to ask because she knew in her heart what the answer was before she ever asked.  Santa Claus is real.  He lives inside all of us.  The spirit of love, joy, peace, and hope is within every one of us.  We don't have to see Santa to know that he is real just as we don't have to see Spirit to know that it is real either.  The essence of both is within us, around us, and through us every day.  Join us this holiday season as we celebrate Hope- Peace- Love- and Joy each Sunday.  Come find your inner Santa so that you too can be blessed and refilled and remember what the reason for the season really is.

In love and light,
Kelly Zakrajsek