Nothing takes you out of yourself like doing something for someone else. In fact, I believe service to others is essential to our lives if we truly wish to be happy. Yes, having money is nice, recreation and play is important, but none of these things actually have the ability to make you happy. Service to others, truly giving of yourself; charity for others if you will, in my view is the very foundation of true happiness. Some time back, as I sat in the Grove Santa House in my capacity as the Jolly Old Elf, a group of special needs folks and their care givers approached the Santa House. I motioned for them to come in, but they refused. I sent one of the elves to find out what was going on . It seems they wanted to actually come in, but assumed they had to pay to see Santa. We assured them visiting with Santa was free and that cost was only involved if they chose to buy a picture.
One of our customers, who had just gotten a picture, observed all of this unfolding. He then went to the register and handed the elf manning it his American Express card, with instructions that every last one of the special needs persons was to have a picture with Santa as his gift. That was no small thing, as the cost was in excess of five-hundred dollars. This man’s random act of kindness so moved us, we all fought to keep tears back while the pictures were taken. I am sure God smiled on the Grove Santa House a little that day.
Charity always begins at home. Occasionally, my elves will surprise me with a random act of kindness, like last evening. Two of my head elves, Nathan Watts and Matthew Knowles, knowing I have been a bit down in the dumps lately (yes even Santa isn't always jolly 24/7), stuck a candle in a piece of apple pie and sang “Happy Birthday” to me. It certainly cheered me up and put me in a much more positive frame of mind. Their kind consideration in that one little act is something I will never forget. 
Another of my head elves, Shane Waller, saw that Mrs. Santa had a need and installed a shelf for her in the laundry. she considers Shane her hero for doing that!
Kindness always pays you dividends. Mrs. Santa Claus and I like to go out once in a while. Of course, we have to do so incognito. These outings usually involve ice cream, since my Indian name is Dances With Thirty-one Flavors. In fact, we frequent the nearby corporate headquarters 31 Flavors store. It has a drive-thru. How decadent is that? Anyway on one of our gotta’-have-some-ice cream outings to the drive-thru we noticed a woman who had been waiting a while to turn left into the 31 Flavors. As we approached from the opposite direction, I thought it only fair to let her go ahead of me, and did so. When we approached the window to pay, the server said, “No charge. The person ahead of you paid for yours already.” Now I'm not saying each time you are considerate of another person, you will get free ice cream, but you never know!
We all need to be givers and recipients of kindness. Find some way each day to give yourself away. It doesn’t have to be anything big, in fact as it says in scripture, “…by small means are great things brought to pass.” Expressing yourself through charity and kindness will not only make you happier, it will make the world a better place as well.
Anyhow, that's how Santa sees it!
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