Where have all the Santas gone?  That was the question I pondered recently while riding pillion with my husband on our second Toy Run.  As we wove our way down the highway and through nearby streets of the Gold Coast, memories of my childhood came flooding back, when - before the advent of Shopping Malls - Santas would roam up and down the main street ringing their bells and spreading Christmas cheer to all who passed.  No-one seemed to mind that they came in all shapes and sizes or that you could meet one on every intersection or somewhere in between. 

For a short while on that glorious Sunday morning we got to be Motor Bike Santas; bringing good cheer to all the men and women and children out walking their dogs, driving in traffic, or who, from their homes, came out in shorts or swimmers, smiling and waving, to the sight and sound of more than 60 motor bikes and an entourage of cars and utilities covered in Christmas decorations and over flowing with toys.  While the children who will be the recipients of those gifts is what motivates us and has seen this event grow tenfold from just 6 bikes three years ago; it is this journey, sharing it with others, that so lights up my life.  As we pass by, like the images through a slow-motion camera, time stands still.  I see people connect and even if only for a fleeting moment, we put our cares aside and become a part of something bigger than ourselves.  In that instant, whether we know it or not, the illusion of separation falls away and we remember what we are really here for … to experience the true joy of life and to share that with others.  And when we give to others from that place of abundance and joy, our own multiplies.  The stocks in our Social Capital increase and our Happiness Meter rises.

Thank You to everyone who has contributed to my happiness this year.  May you be blessed this Festive Season and throughout 2009 and may we all remember that this beautiful country we live in is still the lucky country!

Inner Sense Number 13 December 2008