21 reasons to be of good cheer
“The journey to the light starts with a candle. Once it’s lit, darkness has gone forever.” ― Adriano Bulla 
Merry, Merry, my friends!
As you know if you’ve spent any time at the party known as my blog, I’m here on Planet Earth to change the dominant paradigm. My mission is to spread the news to anyone who will listen that life is constantly conspiring to send blessings.
Which is why I loved interviewing the Kansas City Secret Santa who passes out $100 bills. People magazine sent me out to interview him. Twice. It was a hoot and a half to join him, to see the expression on people’s faces when he’d peal a couple hundys off his stack and hand them over.
So in the interest of continuing my long-standing journalism career, here are 20 additional reasons to be of good cheer this illustrious holiday season:
1. A 9-year-old boy from Ohio decided that instead of the $300 X Box, he wanted to buy 30 blankets for 30 homeless people. **
2. Two former Wall Street tycoons started a free ride share service for families of cancer patients. Think Uber, but without those annoying credit card bills.
3. A woman in Pennsylvania built a life-size Snoopy dog house (complete with our favorite beagle wearing a Christmas hat) at her desk.
4. A Milwaukee man transformed an abandoned mall into a Winter wonderland for 100 kids from the Boys and Girls Club. He created a gingerbread house, an ice-skating rink and a sledding hill.
5. A police chief in Massachusetts who impersonates Santa learned sign language so a hear-impaired girl could finally talk to the jolly ole soul.
6. A flight attendant and two passengers entertained passengers after their flight from Denver to Virginia was delayed for an hour because of snow. You can listen to their mandolin/ukelele performance here.
7. The Pope who just turned 81 threw a huge pizza party for sick kids. As he told his fellow revelers, “A joyous spirit is like good land that grows good fruit.”
8. A reporter showed up for his interview with an autistic student who had been suspended for wearing a banana costumer wearing a grape costume.
9. An opthamologist from Grand Rapids, Michigan not only gave up his Saturday to treat an elderly patient who needed an eye injection, but because the snow plows didn’t run that day, he carried her from her car into the office.
10. A major league baseball player donated his $9 million mansion and 100 acres of land to a charity that provides camps for children with special needs and chronic illness.
11. When a middle school in south Dallas put out a call for volunteers to help with a “Breakfast with Dads” event, 600 men showed up.
12. After a Texas first grader sent a letter to Santa asking for food, blankets and a ball for her brothers, 900 people (at last count) from around the world responded by sending blankets.
13. In Fort Collins, Colorado, an anonymous donor bought every single toy at Goodwill so that each child shopping with parents got one free gift.
14. An 8-year-old New Jersey boy collected more than 1000 Christmas toys for children of Puerto Rico. NBA manager Brandon Eddy alone sent 11 boxes.
15. A convent in eastern France took in 56 African refugees.
16. An anonymous donor dubbed Santa B paid off $40,000 of layaway holiday bills in Everett, Washington.
17. A diner in Scottsdale, Arizona left a $2000 tip on a $17 bill.
18. Policemen in Shawnee, Kansas, instead of giving out traffic tickets are giving out, $10,000 in cash.
19. A senior in Lancaster, Texas gave away two pair of Vans tennis shoes to special needs students after they complimented him on his stylin’ footwear. The thing I like most about this story is that the video he posted on Twitter has been viewed more than 3 million times. Who says people don’t want good news?
20. The Innovation Show, a podcast in Dublin is giving away a free interview with yours truly on Christmas Day. Aidan McCullin, who recently read E-Squared and received blessing after blessing (a crisp 50-pound note on the ground next to his car, for starters) said it was his gift to spread good cheer to the world.
**Microsoft heard of his good deed and gifted him with the Xbox anyway. Proves my thesis that the more you give, the more you receive.
Have an extraordinarily epic holiday, my friends!
Pam Grout is the author of 19 books including E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality and the just-released, Art & Soul,Reloaded: A Year-Long Apprenticeship to Summon the Muses and Ignite Your Daring, Audacious, Creative Side.
