The Emporia Gazette

February 14, 2012

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I just returned home to California after spending the holiday with family in Kansas. For several weeks leading up to Christmas, The Emporia Gazette has been consumed with letters and blogs complaining how the lack of the formerly known “Christmas Program” at Civic Auditorium has ruined the spirit of the season in Emporia. You might say that my visit home was partially an “inspection,” and my conclusion is that all of the ranting has been a false alarm.

Christmas is still very much alive and well in Emporia; homes and businesses were ablaze with colorful and twinkly lights, wreaths and garland were strewn from every lamppost and front door, every retail worker made a point of telling me to “Have a Merry Christmas,” too many ladies to count were wearing sweaters knitted with Santas, and there were so many nativity scenes on street corners I can only surmise the manufacturer was able to retire thanks to the citizens of Lyon County. Until I double-checked the rental car’s GPS navigation system, I thought I had wandered upon the North Pole.

My only regret during my winter vacation is that I did not attend the Christmas Eve service at the First United Methodist Church, but I had consumed so much of Grandma’s succulent turkey that I was a bit comatose as a result.

I hope the citizens of Emporia will maintain the “spirit of the season” into 2008. In fact, that should be a new year’s resolution to every Emporian: take pride in your city and your neighbors. Quit being catastrophic, and instead accentuate the positive for which you have so much to boast. Emporia may have its fair share of problems like every community across the nation, but a lack of faith is not one of them.