Editor’s Note

Dear Santa,

have tried to be very good this year! I read a simple little book entitled Live and Learn and Pass It On and identified with many of the observations.

I have learned that every person I have met and talked to had something to say that I found interesting or helpful.

Every new place that I visit offers potential for adventure and excitement.

I’ve learned that if you stay focused on yourself, you are guaranteed to be miserable. I’ve learned that I did a good job raising my children, seeing the way they live their lives.

My whole attitude changes when I get a call or read a note that someone says they appre­ ciate me or simply says thank you.

I’ve learned that I cannot expect others to solve my problems. When bad times come, you can let them make you bitter or use them to make you better.

I’ve learned that I can keep going long after I thought I couldn’t.

Thank you for my friend who is always there for me and makes me go to the gym when I don’t want to.

Santa, I hope to live a very long time without growing old.

Can you please help young people see that cigar­ ettes do not make them grown up?

Could the people in charge realize it is worth the extra money to let us use a 3­pound oxygen unit rather than a 17­pound one?Happy Holidays from the Belyeas!

Can we get more research dollars for COPD, the third leading cause of death?

Rather than have people resist change, can you help them see it is the only thing that brings progress.

Please keep surrounding me with people who are smarter than me.

And Santa, please help us see that regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow will rob us

of happiness we can have today.

Happy Holidays to all! I appreciate your support more than you will ever know!