| I am going to have to write to the big-wigs at Sears. | | | | who pocket huge salaries while they squander their |
| Or call them. | | | | employees' retirement funds, as well as other types |
| What's the idea, anyway? What kind of a message is | | | | of fraud and theft, not to mention wars and murders |
| that to send during the holiday season? Wish big? | | | | and rapes and child abuse and spouse abuse and |
| But that's exactly what the Sears television | | | | elder abuse. |
| commercials are suggesting -- wish big. | | | | 2. I wish that those people who are intolerant of |
| Then again, why not? | | | | other people -- whether it's because of skin color or |
| People in this country are already living beyond their | | | | lifestyle or economic status or religious beliefs -- |
| incomes and are charging all of those lovely 'extras' | | | | would learn to be a bit more tolerant. Even a slight |
| to their credit cards. So why not wish big at | | | | increase in tolerance would make the world a better |
| Christmas time? By all means, spend your available | | | | place. |
| cash on necessities like food, shelter and clothing. And | | | | 3. I wish that all of those people who are victims of |
| then put that expensive piece of jewelry -- or a | | | | natural disasters (tsunami, hurricanes, earthquakes) |
| large-screen television -- or a computer complete | | | | could have plenty of food and warm blankets and |
| with a $4,000 color laser printer -- on the credit card | | | | sturdy shelters and money to rebuild their homes and |
| and pay it off over the next two or three or four or | | | | their towns and their villages. |
| five or ten years. If you do that, you'll feel better. | | | | 4. I wish all of those people who are sick and dying |
| Much better. Then you can do it again next year and | | | | and in pain could find a cure for their ailments or relief |
| extend that payment for another ten years. | | | | from their suffering. |
| Children are living with inflated expectations about | | | | 5. I wish that those senior citizens -- and younger, |
| what they 'should' want for Christmas, too. Toys? | | | | people, too (especially those families living without |
| Books? Dolls? Stuffed animals? Certainly not. | | | | health insurance) -- who have to make a choice |
| Expensive electronics. Games. Ipods. A computer for | | | | between buying their medicine and buying groceries |
| their rooms so they can roam the Internet and be a | | | | would not have to choose but would be able to |
| target for every sexual predator out there. That's | | | | afford both. |
| the thing children need. Not something which will | | | | 6. I wish all of those people in the world who are |
| challenge their imaginations and their creativity and | | | | hungry could have an abundance of food, and I wish |
| their thinking skills. | | | | all of those people in the world who need shelter |
| Materialism and consumerism and capitalism. That's | | | | could have a home to call their own. |
| what we should have more of in this world. That's | | | | 7. I wish all of those who feel lonely and unloved and |
| what people need to get them out of debt and back | | | | unwanted could find find comfort in the love and |
| on the road to financial solvency. That's what people | | | | companionship of friends and family and neighbors |
| need to help them be healthy and live more | | | | and the community around them. |
| comfortably. After all, if people are busy working to | | | | These are a few of my ideas about 'wishing big' for |
| pay for those "wish big" items, they won't have the | | | | the Christmas season. |
| time or the energy to worry about what the | | | | What are yours? |
| politicians or the big corporations are doing behind | | | | © 2005 LeAnn R. Ralph |
| their backs. | | | | LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the books "Cream of |
| Wish big, indeed. | | | | the Crop (More True Stories from Wisconsin Farm)" |
| Well, I can 'wish big' too. | | | | (trade paperback, Sept. 2005); "Christmas in Dairyland |
| Here's my idea of 'wishing big' for this holiday season | | | | (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm" (trade |
| -- | | | | paperback 2003); "Give Me a Home Where the Dairy |
| 1. I wish that people would be nicer to one another. | | | | Cows Roam" (trade paperback 2004); "Preserve |
| You know -- the old 'golden rule' -- treat others the | | | | Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for |
| way you would want to be treated. Then maybe we | | | | Interviewing Family Members and Writing Oral |
| could say that certain things no longer exist: CEOs | | | | Histories" (e-book 2004). |