And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ''till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn''t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn''t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
There was the little boy who approached Santa in a department store with a long list of requests. He wanted a bicycle and a sled, a chemical set, a cowboy suit, a set of trains, a baseball glove and roller skates. That''s a pretty long list, Santa said sternly. I''ll have to check in my book and see if you were a good boy. No, no, the youngster said quickly. Never mind checking. I''ll just take the roller skates.
Valentine''s for lovers and for friends.
All my love goes out to you this day!
Love is something different from desire:
Even, silent, peaceful as the sky.
Nor is love interested in means or ends.
There are no selfish needs that it must weigh.
Instead, love''s plenitude itself inspires,
Needing neither cause nor reason why.
Each day my thoughts enchanted with you lie.
Veil us in icy mist
And hide us from the wind!
Love eludes the paradigm,
Eden yet within.
None will see our nakedness,
That outward sign of trust,
Intimate in joy and pain,
Need, tenderness, and lust;
Easily familiar,
''Twixt ecstasy and peace,
Safely in our solitude,
Delighted to repeat
A passion that returns, returns,
Yet renders us complete.