The fall and winter holiday seasons always seem so far away. There is plenty of time to plan and prepare. Then it swoops in like a hungry pelican over an ocean luncheon. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years...here they are. I have gathered them all together in an Advent basket which I call The Wonderful. Each has tradition, joy, celebration, and a spirit of giving and receiving. And of course this has a story behind it.

Several years ago, my life-long best friend, Steve Magin, called a few days before Thanksgiving to chat about holiday plans. He ended the conversation by telling me to expect "The Wonderful" which made me question just what in the world he was talking about. His response was cryptic and playful. "You'll see" he chirped, and then hung up. That response bordered on curious and annoying. It stirred up memories of hidden Christmas presents cleverly stashed away in secret places by my parents. As a boy, I always made it a point to search for clues like Sherlock Holmes until, one by one, each wrapped enigma was discovered. The next thing was to try shaking, sniffing, or peeking under paper folds to determine the contents. I never quit until I was sure of about everything that would be under the tree. Anyway, I was sure that Steve would let me in on The Wonderful in due time, but such knowledge did little to stifle the nagging mystery. So, just like the boy I used to be, the quest of unraveling the riddle began. Google and other search engines didn't help a bit. A call back to Steve was little more than frustrating. When I told him I was waiting for The Wonderful, he just said it was on its' way. Well, great. The mail, UPS and FedEx brought good stuff to the door, but nothing tagged The Wonderful. Every morning had an element of anticipation to it. Surely whatever-it-was would arrive in one form or another today. It didn't occur to me until Christmas Eve that The Wonderful had been delivered every day since Thanksgiving. A bit of me had been magically transported to Neverland along with Peter, Wendy and the Lost Boys. The Wonderful brought back a delight that I thought had dimmed long ago.

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. ~ Carl Sagan

So, with today being the first day of Advent, I would like to share my holiday basket with everyone who reads or listens to this. The Wonderful is coming. Reach in and you will find more than special calendar days, presents, elegant meals, parties and family gatherings. They are all in there. But don't stop looking. Pixie dust, sleigh bells, twinkling lights, and an unattached elusive shadow can be found too. And, of course, an abundance of unconditional Love. Childlike and barefoot, we might rediscover that eager anticipation is the essence of life. This is what makes undeniable the faith in a power greater than ourselves.