Merry Christmas, everyone. Here is my gift for you. Click on the title of this post to read MY MOST MISERABLE MERRY CHRISTMAS, a favorite story from my childhood. Then, I loved it because like the young boy in the story, all I ever wanted was a pony for Christmas (or any other day of the year). But as time passed its theme has become my personal philosophy: I want the pony or nothing. To me it is all about not settling. Being determined and focused and honest about what you need from the universe.
Written by one of America's greatest journalists, LINCOLN STEFFENS, it is actually a chapter from his autobiography. Steffens was one of the original muckrakers, back when that word had a more noble connotation. He wrote sensational articles exposing municipal corruption; they were later collected in The Shame of the Cities (1904), The Struggle for Self-Government (1906), Upbuilders (1909), and other volumes. His autobiography (1931) contains not only personal reminiscences but also some keen insights on the leftist movements of his era. It is a wonderful read if you ever come across it. I found this copy in Haslams, a great local bookstore in St Pete.
Even if you are not shopping for a new way of life, this is a magical story to read during the holidays. Let me know what you think, and post a title or two of your favorite holiday stories. Or at least tell me what cha got!
