Santa's Puzzle Pieces

Santa sat pondering his list of good or bad boys and girls. Age never mattered to Santa; all of us are boys and girls to this jolly old man. This time of year, Christmas, was hard for him. The easy decisions were already made, and the hard cases were still left to be pondered and fussed over. So many hurting souls, he had to bring some glimmer of happiness...some hope. They were all pieces in the puzzle of life, fallen away and lost. Santa's job each year was to match the pieces and bring them together. This was the hard job, to find their true shape, and bring a bit of happiness.

Santa leaned back, blew a large smoke ring. The smoke ring acted as a bullseye and circled name of who to help next. There was his California boy, finally at home, hard fast at work, empty past relationships, sort of floating without effort...just wanted true love. Santa knew this boy desired something, but the boy had forgotten the answer to this quandary long ago. The boy was an odd puzzle piece with many ins and outs, many loops and keys to fit. With a twinkle in his eye, Santa lifted his finger and sent a sprinkle of knowledge the boy's way. The truth had been festering in the back of the boy's mind for a very long time, but this friendly little push should be enough. It would take some time, but the boy would face the truth, good or bad.

Santa sat back happy with his work. One more puzzle piece pushed to connect. This one may be problematic, but the old man did have a twisted sense of humor, at least for pain-in-the-ass adults.

Drew walked out of his office and stumbled forward. He spun looking for his assailant, but no one was around him. "What the hell was that." he thought. It had felt like someone had smacked him on the back of the head. He turned down Main Street and started his walk home. Passing the Wine Bar, its windows wide open to catch the afternoon breeze, he heard a series of female laughs. His steps faltered; he recognized one of the laughs. "It can't be" he said out loud.

It was her. He could see Jean; she was with a group of women sharing a bottle of wine. What was she doing this far north, hundreds of miles out of her home territory? He could not hear her voice, but how he remembered her. He had not seen her in ten years, since their ending. It had taken a lot to get over the hurt, but through it, he had gained a better knowledge of himself. The inner peace with life he had found, did not stop the desire to walk up and say hello. He just wanted to look into her eyes, oh those eyes.

He stood there on the sidewalk frozen in place. "I must look like an idiot" he thought to himself. He looked down at his feet and wondered why they were not moving. As he looked up, he met her eyes, now very round and surprised, looking right at him.

Santa spent time helping many others, and then he found his little girl, hurting and sad. Santa took and extra deep puff to view his special California girl. She had given her all, to family, friends and community. Old friends had been left to drift away. She had settled into a life of service and duty, good solid devotion to her kids. But he could see the deep emptiness; this was not the real girl he knew. Santa's heart slowed just a bit...too much love and passion fenced away in his girl's big heart. She was an easy puzzle piece, pure, beautiful, and full of faith. In some ways easy to fit, but Santa wanted to try and bring the potential of something lost long ago.

He smiled thinking of the little sparkle he had sent someone else's way. One never knew (well Santa did) how the strings of the future could bring the puzzle pieces back together. This time of year was so hard for Santa. There were no easy answers. If the puzzle pieces fit, then it was good for the boy and girl, but hard on others. But Santa knew some things were meant to be. Santa knew that the happiness of the two would create a gift to many, many others for years to come.

"Oh shit, its Drew." Was her startled response. The rest of the women heard her comment and noticed her reaction. All heads at the table turned as one and looked at Drew.

"Who is this?" asked one of the women,

"An old friend" Jean responded and then scooched her way out of the booth. As she stood, she noticed that Drew was still frozen, looking like the preverbal "deer in the headlights."

She walked slowly out the door, feeling the eyes of her friends watching the drama unfolding. Drews eyes never left her, as she approached him. Her hand reached out and was taken by his. They looked into each other's eyes and a sparkle floated between them, Santa's work.

Drew softly said "Hi, its amazing to see you."

She leaned in to softly kiss his lips "Hi, I've missed you." Jean whispered.

This was Santa's real gift; the gift of joy. The joy created by joining of these two puzzle pieces was a gift to more than just these two. You see, a bit of joy spreads far and wide, touching lives beyond these special puzzle pieces. Other puzzle pieces are soon drawn to the two, and a season of love and joy, grows and spreads....

Playa de Aiguablava, Catalonia, Spain

Santa sat back in his beach lounger after the holidays. He puffed another smoke ring to see how time was treating the puzzle of life. One little sparkle caught his eye. The spark ignited in front of the Wine Bar was already growing. He smiled and knew he had made the right decision, that the two would spread their joy to the world.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all