Something to Believe In By J. Beebs
ne of the most famous “Letters to the Editor” in the history of editorials was the famous 1897 letter from 8 year old Virginia
O’Hanlon, who famously asked the New York Sun, is there such thing as Santa Claus? You see, Virginia was taking some grief from
her 8 year old peers for believing in Santa Claus.
Francis Pharcellus Church penned the famous response, which has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial.
The response, which is worth a read if you’re near the internet, reassures Virginia that there is most definitely a Santa Claus.
Virginia’s letter touches one of the most profound aspects of being human: Belief. In Church’s response, he explains to Virginia that
her friends, who do not believe in Santa, “do not believe except they see.” Church goes on to explain that “You may tear apart the
baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of
all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart.”
Belief. It’s a funny thing in humans. We like to believe that we are rational and make decisions based on logic and understanding. But often, we make our
decisions based on what we feel. Which is why I can easily defend every superstition I’ve ever had without one shred of proof or logic. I have no scientific proof
that my 1931 Wheat Cent is a lucky penny. But I know that it is. And if I ever find a four leaf clover, I know that’s lucky too. So is walking under a horseshoe
and having an itchy palm. Don’t get me started about my game day superstitions, which range from my lucky socks that I’ve had since third grade to my need
to listen to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” while chewing a stick of green fruit stripe gum during pregame. WE NEVER LOSE WHEN I DO THIS!
If we are so emotional when it comes to simple superstitions, you can see how this might turn out rather poorly when we move to bigger concepts. Just think
of your own experiences as kids, when we collectively figured out the answer to many childhood mysteries such as Santa Claus, The Tooth Fairy and The
Easter Bunny. Armed with the knowledge of our peers, we go into our teen years confident in our beliefs. But a funny thing happens along the way: Life. And
as you experience life, your beliefs can and do change. And if you reflect upon it, you may discover that that in your teen years, you were confident that there
was no such thing as Santa and his friends, but strangely enough, you begin to see the beauty of such beliefs as you move into your middle years and have
kids of your own.
This brings us to our biggest platform for belief: Religious Faith. It’s appropriate that we talk about faith during the month of December, which is full of
religious holidays, ranging from the very widely known Christmas and Hanukkah, to perhaps some lesser known holidays, such as Rohatsu (Bohdi Day), which
celebrates Buddha’s decision to sit under the Bodhi tree until he reached spiritual enlightenment and Mawlid el-Nabi, which honors the birth of the prophet
Muhammad.
Looking at December’s holidays is a great reminder for those of all beliefs, and a simple testament that underneath all the emotion, we are all more alike
than not. In 1897, Church penned that Virginia’s friends were “affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age.” When you consider our current environment of
alternative facts, fake news, and divisive politics, it seems the focus is on our differences rather than our similarities. In the spirit of Church’s letter, perhaps
we should consider that our neighbors, whose beliefs appear to differ from our own … might just in fact be more similar than we think.
That, my friends, is something to believe in.
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | DEC 2017 7
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