Roaming Santa report, update & wishlist (12/24th)

First photo taken by a neighbor last weekend.

For those who might have missed it, after posting the previous days reports and updates (12/22nd and 12/23rd), there was a follow-up update posted and also later edited, regarding Saturday’s events and related matters, as well, here.

As had been previously mentioned in yesterday’s report and update, tentative plans for today (Sunday, December 24th), Christmas Eve Day, are yet to be determined, however Roaming Santa does plan to get out and about when he is able to do so.

Second photo (taken by Ken Russell; shared with permission): Roaming Santa out front of the Vermont State House on Thursday evening.

Roaming Santa’s Wish List:

Recently, during one of the greet and waves in downtown Montpelier, Santa had asked someone what they wanted for Christmas and, after answering, the person asked him what he wanted as well.

After pausing to think about it for several seconds, the reply was that what the person had mentioned sounded good to him too.

Since then, however, Roaming Santa has come up with the following wishlist of their own:

• An end to violent human conflict (read: violence) and war;

• An end to homelessness, hunger, poverty and suffering; 

• The establishment of lasting harmony, peace and tolerance among all people and nations.

Related Quotes:

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict - alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.

                               – Dorothy Thompson

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.

                               – Albert Einstein

Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social markers of difference.

                                                    – Nelson Mandela

By way of observation over the years, there appear to be those who do not believe that it is possible to end violent human conflict (i.e., violence) and war, homelessness, hunger, poverty and suffering.

However, to my way of thinking and speaking for myself only and none other, this is mostly due to a lack or failure of faith in both ourselves at a personal level and each other at a broader or wider level and our capabilities as well as being a lack or failure of imagination and vision as well as a lack or failure of exercising both the personal and political will to bring about meaningful and lasting change at all levels of the human experience as well as spectrum whether it be at the global, national or local level.

To bring about meaningful and lasting change, either within oneself or at a societal level, first and foremost, one has to be able as well as willing to dream, imagine and envision that something is achievable as well as very much well worth bringing about in a lasting manner and not accept flawed, poor and unacceptable excuses, nor rationales, for why something that is absolutely necessary as well as doable is not feasible or possible to accomplish. 

Related quotes:

You see things; and you say “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say “Why not?”

                                  – George Benard Shaw

Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not.

                                   – Senator Robert F. Kennedy

Furthermore, in my opinion, God or some other higher power has not created or initiated – nor is responsible for – violent human conflict (violence) and war, homelessness, hunger, poverty and suffering among peoples and nations. Humanity is solely responsible for bringing about as well as perpetuating these circumstances, experiences and situations. None other.

The fact remains that the sole blame or fault is humanity’s alone.

Given that these are human flaws and faults, since it is our doing and none other, if only we are able and willing to imagine and then think as well as act differently than has been the case for ages and ages, each of us personally and we collectively as a society also possess the capabilities as well as resources to undo as well as do differently.

Related quote:

Be the change you wish to see in the world.

                              – Gandhi

End of sermon.