PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Appreciation For A Good Deed

On Dec. 28, I was shopping at Walmart. After putting my groceries in the car, I left my purse in the shopping cart. It was about 30 minutes before I noticed it was missing.

I went back to Walmart thinking it was gone forever, but a very kind, honest person had turned it in to the store.

I am so truly grateful for your honesty.

BEVERLY GRUENWALD

Rogers FAITH IN

INVISIBLE MAN

Iam still amused by

the letter to the editor from a local lady whowent to buy an artificial tree and left the store in a huff because they had only “holiday trees” and she wanted a Christmas tree. I guess I missed the part about the wise men arriving in a flying sleigh to place their gifts under a decorated Chinese aluminum fir tree next to the manger.

I’ve heard it said that religion is Santa Claus for adults, and oh, how I wish that were true.

There are similarities like the whole “I’m watching you,” naughty or nice, heaven or hell thing, and the anticipated rewards on the big day, and even the false Santas on TV hawking everything from cola to cars, but I’ve never heard of little childrenfl ying airplanes full of jet fuel into buildings full of people while shouting “Santa is great,” or shunning their little friends whose image of Santa is slightly diff erent than their own. I’ve not heard of Santa promising 72 virgins to children who behead others whose Night Before Christmas story is diff erent than their story, or of children shooting each other over disagreements on the width of Santa’s belt or the shape of his cap.

While children eventually outgrow the Santa tales told by adults, at last count in this country 80 percent of adults never outgrow the tales they are told of the invisible man in thesky. Men have been to the north pole and the skies and found neither Santa’s workshop nor the invisible man, yet all over the world adults are still killing others for questioning their own invisible man tales and shooting little girls who dare to want to hear other ideas. If only religion could emulate the optimism and joy of innocence children who believe that every child, wherever they are, can have a visit from Santa and that the world can still be a happy place for everyone after the presents are unwrapped and the holiday tree is put away.

PHIL WARNER

Garfi eld