By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher
Me and the OG of Christmas having a chat. Always go straight to the top!
I’m a go directly to the source kind of girl. Always have been. I mean why deal with a middleman when you can go straight to the top? I find this approach much more efficient garnering the desired results in a concise, timely fashion. I’m also not overly patient. Waiting on a response when I can tackle it right then and there is my modus operandi. Mr. Kaminski calls this trait of mine aggressive. I call it cogent and downright smart.
This was my plan when approaching this holiday season. I didn’t sleuth around asking related parties what a particular individual’s hopes and dreams were for Christmas. I flat out asked my people a straightforward question: What is the one thing you want more than anything for Christmas?
Now I felt this was an appropriate and succinct approach. I can answer it. I’m not sure why my people pondered the issue. The quizzical looks and hemming and hawing I received was beyond annoying. Kinda took the jingle out of my jangle, if you know what I mean.
“It’s one thing. What is it?” I further pursued.
Mr. Kaminski came up with a project, like I need another project. The project required contractors, materials, labor and oversight – in another state. I was somewhat chagrined by the request. I was counting on a trip to Best Buy, Home Depot or some other God-awful electronics/hardware type store that I loathe and was prepared to bite the bullet. I was looking for a one and done – not a weeklong commitment that required management and dealing with a multitude of folks. I was prepared to deal with one sales associate for 15 minutes tops. Done and done.
Seeing that this approach was not garnering the intended results, I went straight to the big guy in person. I wasn’t about to shoot off an email or a text; I wanted a one-on-one meeting to address the issue.
I found the big guy at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. I patiently waited my turn for our conference amidst scores of children. Some parents looked at me a bit quizzically as if looking for my kid. I promptly informed them, “I’m the kid, and I have issues.”
Of course, good ole’ St. Nick had no such issues with seeing me. He gets me, and I love him for that.
After hugs and kisses, I began laying out the issue. I explained to him that I turned 60 years old this year, and I was streamlining everything. He in turn explained to me that he was over 1,700 years old and still made time for all of the magic and meaning of the season. Well, that gave me a stinging perspective and straightened up my scroogy self, quick.
Then Kris Kringle posed the very query to me regarding my Christmas wish list.
“What do you want most for Christmas, young lady?” If I wasn’t already all in with the humble ho ho, I was now that he called me young.
“Health for my family and dear ones,” was my reply.
“That’s a wonderful wish,” he replied. “Anything else?”
“Peace and prosperity. That’s all I really want, and I’m happy to share.”
With a twinkle in his eye and the biggest smile of all, Santa gave me a huge hug and exclaimed, “Together, you and I will make that wish come true.”
See? It’s all about getting to the right person for perspective. See y’all next week – on the porch! Ho, ho hugs from me and Santa!
Patti Parish-Kaminski
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