I strongly believe in Santa Claus and I firmly believe in Love

Another year draws to a close. As the winter sets in, people, all over the world, begin to prepare for Christmas and associated festivities.
Christmas brings to mind the image of a jolly, old, rotund man with a long white beard, dressed in red, known across the world as Santa Claus. Santa Claus is a universal figure, transcending the boundaries of nations, continents, religions and cultures. Kids all across the world wait eagerly for Santa Claus to visit and shower gifts on them, things that they have wanted and waited for a long time.
Yet, if grown ups are asked if they believe in Santa Claus, most would look at you, shake their heads and move on. If someone would deign a reply, it would most likely be:
" I used to but then I grew up."
Love is something similar to Santa Claus. We all have strong belief in love and its power to begin with but then as we "grow" we begin to lose faith in its power. For many, it just becomes a thing that exists only in books and movies, not to be found in real life. So, when you ask somebody if he or she believes in love, the most likely answer would be:
" I used to but now I know better."
Call me childish, different or even foolish but my answers to both the questions differ.
I believe in Santa Claus. Someone or some thing that has the ability to light up so many faces with the most wonderful smiles can't be non-existent. He is to be found in each of us. Every one of us has the capability to make a difference in someone else's life. Sometimes we do that without realizing, sometimes we come to know of it. Maybe Santa does not exist as a person, but as a phenomenon, he is very much alive and among us, not just on Christmas but on every day of the year. Though for some reason he chooses to show himself only on Christmas.
Love is a great feeling. One who has not been in love has missed on the most wonderful feeling that there is. One who has been in love does not need to be told how amazing the feeling is. We can get an idea of what love is capable of if we try to not just read some of the great love poems and romance epics but attempt to recreate, for ourselves, the feelings that must have stirred in the heart of the person who wrote these lines of verse or prose. Something so powerful can't be non-existent either.
I strongly believe in Santa Claus and I firmly believe in Love. Do you?