Would the real Santa please stand up?

Posted by Bill on Thursday, December 28, 2006   |   No Comments

Friday, December 22. Rain.

But no soggy spirits. No siree. Hey, Christmas is around the corner. And today I’m eagerly awaiting the homecoming of my oldest daughter Katie and her new husband Jared—grateful escapees from Chicago’s bustle.

Due to the holiday schedule, I need to have my column done a little early. Like today. So I was dutifully hauling out my material to write the piece I promised on a statehouse tour when an e-mail and a link arrived from Kate.

Check it out: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-20-santa-secret_x.htm
What an amazing story.

Amazing indeed. So right there, with little to no reflection, I settled on a new subject. No matter that it’s not strictly a travel piece, even though the story involves travel. But it is a Christmas story.

Am I bothered by the fact that this best-of-all holidays will be over by the time you see this? Not a bit. And you won’t be either if you read on. Even more so if you actually check out the link above.

You see, when I clicked on it, I learned anew that there is a Santa Claus. And I discovered his name is Larry.

The USA Today story behind the link told how Larry Stewart, of Lee’s Summit, MO, has been anonymously handing out $100 bills to the needy for the past 26 years. Seems that in the early 70s, Larry was out of just about everything—luck, money and hope—when a diner owner gave him $20.

“Right then, I just made a promise. I said, ‘Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people, I will do it.’” Things improved for Larry, and he started making money. Lots. First in cable television and later with his own long-distance telephone company.

By 1979, he was in a position to make good on his promise. He started with a $20 tip that brought a waitress to tears. Larry liked how helping others made him feel so he withdrew more cash and started giving it away. Presto—Secret Santa was born. So how much has he given away? An estimated $1.3 million so far—all anonymously.

Why come forward now? Although Larry is ill with cancer, he says that isn’t the reason. He decided to come clean because he learned that a tabloid was about to publish his identity. Even though his secret is out, Larry is still hard at work in Kansas City where he expects to hand out $100,000 by Christmas.

And that diner owner? He’s in his eighties now, but Larry found him and repaid the $20—500 times over. That’s right: $10,000.

Since his real name has been known, people from around the world have responded with hundreds of letters and nearly 7,000 e-mails. Most of them want to be Secret Santas, too. In the end, all of the good Larry has done by sharing his money may be dwarfed by the enduring power of his example.

Because of what Larry has done, countless others have a model for selfless giving. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if who knows how many others were led to share from their gifts? In their own way and within their own budget?

How different the season would be if random acts of kindness were so rampant that we had to ask with perfect seriousness, “Would the real Santa Claus please stand up?”

Thanks, Kate.

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