'Tis the season to soften logic with sentiment

[snopes]

http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/an...,0,8253.column

Sometimes I think I'm really two people. One part of me is relentlessly pragmatic, reasonable and logical. That's not necessarily a bad thing, except when it gets in the way of the magic that can be found in everyday life. The confounding counterpart is that another part of me is just as relentlessly sentimental, emotional and hopeful.

Here's an example. I can't read an e-mail that cries out for help regarding a lost child without immediately hopping onto Snopes.com to check it out. (They're always fake, by the way.) I also find myself reading e-mails that contain heartwarming stories of love, fellowship and encouragement; the kind people often send to friends and family with the best intentions. Deep down, I'm glad they include me in their list of those who will enjoy the story; they're mostly right about that. Yet, even as I read it, I think (in my logical way), do I have time for this today? God knows I'd rarely seek these things out on my own.

That's why when I read a holiday story a few days ago, I couldn't figure out why I stopped on it in the first place. I had little doubt I'd be left wallowing in sappy Christmas schmaltz. Without going into every detail, the story told of a young boy who comes to understand the spirit of Christmas. In an effort to prove that Santa Claus is real, his grandmother gives him $10 and drives him to a store, telling him to "buy something for someone who needs it."