Too warm for Santa

The National Conservatory of Music in Lima Perú had its building in the old city center, very near to the Plaza de Armas, the main square.

All sorts of individuals walk its streets. From elegant businessmen to street preachers predicting the end of the world.

During the months of December, when summer is just around the corner, people prepare for Christmas. For people in the northern hemisphere, this is a season to get warm and cozy with your thickest clothes and some hot chocolate.

But in Lima, it´s hot.

And humid. Very humid.

Which as you might know, makes it extra hot.

However, when I used to study there back in 1996, I noticed that it didn´t make poor street Santa desist from putting on his big fake belly and dressing up in his thick polyester Santa suit, holding a bell in his left hand while asking for some coins with a cup held in his right hand.

It was probably very tough standing up for hours in the extreme heat. Even dangerous for his health.

But the truth is that for many people (maybe most?), Christmas means nothing more than a period to use your abilities to get more extra cash.

People are in much need in this world. And even if the numbers of poverty have decreased worldwide, it is still heartbreaking to see face-to-face a reality in which people have to go to extremes to be able to put some food in their stomachs every day.

It´s always been hard for me to cope with this reality, and there´s only so much one can do about it. I´m afraid it´s too complicated a problem ever to solve.

I´m personally not a believer in any religion, but I do realize that this is a time in which people are brought together and put a bit of extra effort in feeling good and making others feel good. It´s also a magical period in which people make wishes.

I wish for every child in the world to have food every day. I wish for every child to have the opportunity of being raised by loving adults. I wish for every child to grow into confident and fulfilled adults, able and willing to do good unto others and to themselves.

These are my naive Christmas wishes. But I really, really wish they could come true.

Have a nice day,

Claudio.