“Miracles happen to those who believe in them.”
- Bernard Berenson
I grew up in the Midwest – Lake Bluff, Illinois – and my grandparents lived in LaGrange, so we got to see them every week. I was especially close with them. My Poppy and I loved to play crazy eights for hours.
As the story goes, when I was five my Poppy took me to the Lake Bluff fire department to see Santa. Santa flew in on a helicopter (!) and gave candy to all the kids.
We stood in line, I sat on Santa's lap, told him what I wanted and got my candy.
Walking home from the fire station, my Poppy asked me, "How was it hon?"
I replied, "He's just a big fake."
My Poppy said, "Really?"
"Yeah," I replied, "But I've noticed, the kids who believe get a lot more than those who don't."
I would agree with that premise to this day.