Miracles and Clouds

This is a time of year I should probably stay away from YouTube, because there are all these videos that turn me into a complete blubbering mess of tears and runny mascara. While I often wear my heart on my sleeve, around Christmas my emotions are so close to the surface that I have been known to cry at commercials (I am a marketer's dream, people, because even though I know they are playing me I go along quite willingly).

These videos aren't local, although one involves an airline that flies into our community, and one is a story that crosses the borders of countries - and hearts. At this time of year when some of us (okay, me) are struggling to find some Christmas cheer and faith and hope and belief, these videos provide some of that, and remind us that there are good people out there. A lot of good people, actually.

This first video is from WestJet. Is there a Santa Claus, you ask? Well, there is if you were on one of these WestJet flights:

That video had me crying by the end. Big, fat tears, especially the reaction of the little boy who could not believe his wish had been answered. And this next video? It gave me chills. Maybe you aren't familiar with Zach Sobiech, but he was a very young man who developed cancer. While battling his illness he wrote a lovely little song called "Clouds", about his battle with the disease that claimed his life in May of this year. Zach is gone now, one of those shooting stars that lights up our lives ever so briefly before they are reclaimed by the cosmos - but his song lives on in the hearts and minds of millions, including this choir. If you need a reason to believe, this might just be it. Watch this - and find some faith again: