Hey Santa!

This is letter No. 55 or so from me! (That assumes, of course, that you counted the seven letters I sent when I was 8 years old as just one! Remember what you said? You called me a serial-Santa-sender!)

The list for me is short but important: I want a good night’s sleep every night. Just 7 hours will do. If every night is too much, could you do three a week? Most of the time I feel like a sleigh crash victim staggering around the tundra!

That’s really all I need, so here’s my list for others.

  • America just had an epic, shocking presidential election. For the discombobulated, disillusioned and discouraged, please give them a huge helping of peace of mind and calm. And a hug.
  • For those whose candidate won, provide them with the gift of humility wrapped in a reminder that all things move in cycles.
  • A present for all of the little kids and teenagers in homes that don’t have very much and a measure of reassurance to their parents and caregivers that the community has their backs during hard times.
  • Oodles of donations to Project Self-Sufficiencyto help people in our community who are working hard to help themselves.
  • Same with the United Way of Larimer County. The people there do terrific work and their executive director, Gordan Thibedeau, is one of the area’s great people.
  • An invitation to Colorado State Universityto join the Big 12 and a Mountain West Conference title for Coach Mike Bobo as his team heads out the door to the new conference.
  • A good-paying job for everybody who wants one.
  • Lots and lots of profits to area companies big and small so they can continue to invest in their facilities and technology and hire local people.
  • A lump of enlightenment in the stockings of those who don’t realize the importance of a vibrant business sector to pay for all of the quality-of-life amenities the community wants.
  • A big dose of self-restraint by city government officials as they consider getting into the broadband business and putting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on the line.
  • The gift of leadership to the state legislature to start using some of the tax money we send to them for the highways and interstates.
  • A cone of safety for everyone traveling along north Interstate 25. A big thanks to all those responsible for getting $270.5 million for the projects now underway or about to start, but it’s hazardous out there, so stay on it!
  • And extra helpings of safety and appreciation to our men and women in the military. Just because they volunteered for that life doesn’t make it easy. Give a second helping of Christmas dinner to those serving overseas.
  • The last item is a gift of grace and wisdom to elected officials at all levels of government. We mostly need them out of the way, but when they act, we need them to be wise.

See you shortly!

Your pal,

David