Merry Christmas!

 I have become immune to hearing these words. For 17 years of my life this phrase has been repeated from Dec. 1 until Dec. 25, and then the phrase is put away for another 11 months. The Christmas season has become almost a routine for me. 

Most Christmas mornings my eyes pop open at 7 a.m. 

 I scurry downstairs and jump onto my daddy’s lap, while he finishes his morning coffee and newspaper. 

When my mother stumbles out of bed, I pester her until she agrees to make breakfast with me. 

Soon after, my visiting relatives from out of town wake up to the smell of pancakes and eggs and make their way to the kitchen table.

Once we’re all fed, we cram into one car and head to church.

Then, after church, we make our way home, pile into the kitchen and help my mother make dinner. 

After we all finish cooking, my sister and I drag everyone around the tree to open presents.

After we’ve torn through every present under the tree, the smell of food is wafting through the air and our tummies begin to growl. 

As we sit around the table and eat, we exchange stories and laughter.

And then, once we can’t eat anymore, we light a fire and watch It’s a Wonderful Life.

However, this Christmas will be different.

As I sit on my dad’s lap in the morning, I will let him hug me that extra second, instead of wiggling out of his arms.

As I help my mother make breakfast, I won’t complain when she asks for my help cleaning up the dishes.

As we gather around the tree, I will take the time to notice every smile on my family’s faces after they open a gift.

As we fill our bellies, I will be attentive to the stories being told, cherishing the time spent with my family. 

This Christmas will hold a deeper meaning in many of our hearts across the nation. 

The tragedy that occurred in Connecticut last Friday will be in our hearts this Christmas. 

I don’t think a heart out there didn’t ache for the community when they heard what had happened. 

The grief I feel for the community cannot be anywhere close to what they are going through.

 Young lives, innocence, the feeling of love, family, friends were taken 11 days before Christmas. 

On, Dec. 14, kids went to school, expecting to be in the arms of their parents on Christmas day.

On Dec. 14, parents found a few moments to slip away to buy that special gift for their kids from Santa, with the hope of seeing joy wash over their faces on Christmas day.

On Dec. 14, the news tore through the hearts of many, leaving agonizing pain throughout the community. 

Parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives, friends. Many will be forced to stare at that gift under the tree, nicely wrapped, never to be opened. 

Many will not get to feel the joy of giving or receiving.

Christmas will never be the same for these families.

Let Christmas never be the same for us either.

Be present, physically and mentally on Christmas, and do not take the little things for granted. 

Be aware; take in every smile of joy you see.

Be thankful; let your parents hug you for that extra second, don’t wiggle out of their arms.

Let us dedicate this Christmas to the families and community of Newton, Conn.

 Remember the teacher who threw her body over her children to save their lives, or the one who locked her kids in the bathroom, reassuring them that there will be Christmas and there will be Hanukkah waiting for them when they get out. 

Remember the principal who tried desperately to protect her school.

Remember the parents who walked into the fire station that day, only to find that their child was not there. 

Keep them in your thoughts, open a gift for them, hug your family, siblings, relatives extra tightly for them. 

And do not forget to have a very Merry Christmas.

Mister Rogers

 During the first presidential debate on Oct. 3, former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney said, “I'm going to stop the subsidy to PBS.” Back in 1969, President Nixon purposed a similar cut. 

Upon hearing Nixon’s proposal, the late Fred Rogers, host and writer for the beloved Public Broadcasting Station’s television show, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, felt compelled to address the issue. 

This video has now resurfaced after Romney’s remarks. And, upon watching this video, I was able to reminisce on my childhood, and the role PBS played in it. 

 In the video Rogers says; “I’m very much concerned, as I know you are, about what’s being delivered to our children in this country.”

He says; “I feel like if we, in public television, can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we would have done a great service for mental health.” 

He says; “I think that it’s much more dramatic that two men could be working out their feelings of anger, much more dramatic than showing something of gun fire.”

 After listening to what Rogers had to say, I realized the effect PBS has had on my life, and the lives of many other children. 

 I realized the safe learning environment it provided from me, and many other children, away from violent cartoons like Billy and Mandy or Courage the Cowardly Dog, that show is just creepy. It is also an escape away from constant commercials vying for our attention. 

I realized the important role shows like Barney played in my childhood. It gave me my love for music. And yes, I’ll admit it, I was  Barney’s biggest fan.  

 I realized the important lessons Mister Rogers taught to the thousands of kids watching him on TV. Rogers taught “a meaningful expression of care.”

Anyone that watched Mister Rogers Neighborhood can recall the way he ended his program every day. He would look directly into the camera with his gentle eyes and said, “you’ve made this day a special day, by just your being you, there’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”

Rogers is no longer alive, but if he was, I know he would address this issue again, with the same warmth and grace as he did before. So in honor of Mister Rogers, I will address it for him. 

Television shows like Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Big Comfy Couch, Barney, and Arthur have played a major role in thousands of children's lives. 

 Not only that, but it provides a learning resource for elementary school teachers. Shows like Magic School Bus and Reading Rainbow, that make learning fun for kids, are still being shown today in classrooms. 

 PBS fosters an environment where children can learn and grow without being interrupted by the media. They don’t show commercials about Nerf Guns or cereal full of high-fructose corn syrup. 

By cutting PBS, the generations of kids who will not have the opportunity to experience shows like Mister Rogers Neighborhood are going to miss out on a huge learning opportunity, one that I still value to this day. 

So Mr. Romney, if you are elected president, please don’t cut PBS. It is worth the money, simply because it creates a learning environment that not only deals with academics, but also the emotional struggles of a child. 

From the teachings of Mister Rogers, I leave you with this; “What a good feeling to feel like this, and know that the feeling is really mine, know that there’s something deep inside that helps us become what we can, for a girl can be someday a lady and a boy can be someday a man.”