LEAVE THE COOKIES OUT FOR SANTA - PART ONE

It has been a one of the most popular and common images during the Christmas holiday season for a very long time. The image of cookies on a plate and a glass of milk left by the Christmas tree for Santa to enjoy. Children from around the world who celebrate Christmas get excited about leaving a snack for good ol’ St. Nick. Kids even at this early age, unbeknownst to them, practice the principle of being prepared for receiving something good by leaving those cookies as a token of appreciation to Santa for visiting them. However, the snack on the table represents so much more than just a thank you for anticipated gifts. I submit to you that it represents three very powerful lessons that anyone can learn from and implement as they pursue personal growth, development, and better living. It represents the lessons of expectancy, gratitude, and preparedness for success.

In the first of a 3-part blog, let’s briefly examine the lesson of expectancy. The reason why kids leave Santa a treat is in direct response to expecting that Santa is going to show up at some point throughout the night. They do not second guess whether he is coming or not. How could they? Their five senses tell them that Santa is coming so they believe and expect him to. Everything in their surroundings encourages them to expect that Santa will pay them a visit. This they know for sure. They may not necessarily believe that they are going to get exactly the gift they are hoping for but the mere fact that Santa will pay them a visit is enough to motivate them to get the cookies and milk ready. They expect Santa is going to give them something of great value. The eager anticipation of what the next day will bring them to experience is more than they can bare. Consider this, would these children bother with the sweet treat at all if they did not expect an overnight visit from Kris Kringle? Absolutely not. As adults, the expectancy of great things to come should motivate us to take action in anticipation of its arrival. When you expect that great things will happen in your life you get ready. If you expect to lose weight then you start looking at clothing and sizes that you soon will wear. If you are expecting to go on a great vacation then you start pulling out the luggage bags. If you are expecting a positive change in your circle of contacts then you start polishing your mannerisms and vocabulary. If you expect that your life will change for the better then you start to list all the people that you will share your story with when it does. Here is the bottom line, your actions will always reflect your level of expectancy. Great expectancy must be met with equal and appropriate action.