Christmas season reminds us of hope

To the Editor:

I love to read the news published in the Dexter Statesman. I pick up a copy of this paper when I get my daily Poplar Bluff paper, The Daily American Republic. Tonight, my heart was stirred as I read "wish Lists" to Santa Claus.

One child asked Santa, "Do you visit poor people?" Another child's request was simply to have his Dad home more. Still another asked for "chicken pot pie." That must be a delicacy to some.

This time of year brings out the best in some folks and the desperation in others. Christmas shines for one day but what about the other 364? I wish there were some way to embed in all of the know-how and the want-to in helping less fortunate in our own regions, our own backyard neighborhoods. I look at the stock Doyle and I have managed to come up with for our four sweet grandkids and I'm thankful we could. I also think back on my own holidays growing up south of Fisk, off FF Hiway. It's easy to remember Wayne and Bob setting up the "Erector" set as Jerry and I pick out hard candies and peruse our treasures. Always a baby doll, but mostly new clothing we needed. My old memories warm the corner of my mind and heart. I got to thinking of our grade school teachers at Fisk-Rombauer picking out carols for us to perform in the high school gym. Year after year our parents filed in to listen with pride whether we could sing on key or not! My mom had to hire the neighbor to drive us 4 1/2 miles if Wayne had the car elsewhere. Daddy was off in St. Louis working a factory job.

I hope I'm living a grateful life. I've been blessed by God and people and I don't want to ever forget that! If a street corner choir or the Salvation Army bell bothers us, there's something seriously wrong somewhere. Recently a man we knew slightly lost all hope in living and ended his life. Here in Puxico. On our street. Amy Grant and others sing a song called "My Grown Up Christmas List." It's mine, too. I like you and I love you and I'm glad it's Christmas again to remind us to hope.

Patsy Dever Mitchell

Puxico, Mo.