Santa Claus

I believe in Santa Claus. Now, I know as a 22-year-old dental student this may seem a bit odd, but you better believe I have good reason. As a freshman in college, I found myself in great need of self-meaning & friendship. Fortunately for me, my older sister attended the same university as I did and she dragged me to school events. It was for these reasons that I found and joined a student-based volunteer group called Alternative Breaks. Alternative Breaks is a volunteer group that sends groups composed of 12 students to locations nationally and internationally to work with designated social issues. I was blessed to work with issues such as homelessness, hunger, rural reconstruction, substance abuse, and inspiration through art. I served first as a general member and later as a site leader in which I was able to influence 11 other students on their week-long service trip.

My first year of Alternative Breaks was nothing short of inspirational. That year, I spent the first week of January traveling with eleven other students to Atlanta, Georgia where we served with a focus on substance abuse and homelessness. Talk about stepping out of your comfort zone! As a northern Michigan small town girl, I grew up in a conservative family and was never exposed to substance abusers or the homeless. I never thought I would relate to, or be understanding of a group of people that came from backgrounds that were very different than my own, but I did. Interacting with the people of this Atlanta neighborhood had opened my eyes and shown me to never judge a person based on appearance or occupation-rather judge them on their heart and their spirit.

The life stories I was privy to listen to and the people I met will never be forgotten, as they serve as constant reminders of why I continue to serve. One eight-year-old’s story has continued to inspire me, even now, five years later. Alex and his younger sister visited us at the harm reduction center every day to spend time with the volunteer staff. As we were there after Christmas, I found myself asking Alex what Santa had brought for him and his sister. When he replied “I don’t believe in Santa!” my heart clenched. How could an eight-year-old child not believe in Santa? What had caused him to lose his innocence so young? Why did he seem much older than his mere eight years? When I continued to look puzzled, Alex continued with, “Even when we did believe, he never came.” My heart broke completely in two. To know that his youthful ignorance was tainted because his family either could not afford or could not be bothered to participate in this child fantasy was devastating. I thought of all those Christmases anxiously waiting for my siblings to wake up so I could tear through Santa’s gifts, and I was at a loss thinking that Alex and his sister would never have those memories.

I walked away from my Atlanta service trip fulfilling my goal of friendship and self-meaning. Not only did I leave with eleven new friends, but also with a mind filled with life-changing stories that have motivated me to continue to help others. These stories have guided my decision to work with non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and local soup kitchens. But most importantly, Alex has motivated me to participate in adopt-a-family Christmas sponsorships where I can confidently say that I have helped to create positive, happy memories for children in my community because of one simple belief: Santa Claus.