thousands of Santas: Batkid Day forever!

credit: www.nbcbayarea.comYou know me, so you know I am a HUGE fan of Santa Claus.

Pish-posh on those people who don't do Santa because they think of it as lying to their kids. Sillies: you're missing the point.

The wonder of Santa is that it's adults making MAGIC for children, spinning them this glorious story of goodness and wish-fulfillment, staying up late to sneak the presents down the chimney, leave the traces of the Big Man's passage, that one cookie with a bite in it.

It's magic because we give someone else, a mythical creature, the credit for all of our thoughtfulness, all of our effort to brighten the eyes of a little kid.

It's magic because it's selfless. 

And that, my friends, is what happened yesterday in San Francisco: thousands of selfless Santas of all ages and sizes lining the streets, dressed up, cheering, making a dream come true for a 5-year-old they didn't even know.

Santas, every single one of them.

Watching from my computer at work as the Batkid live-stream unfolded, tears streaming down my face, I felt so proud of my home town, so proud of the creativity and generosity of all of those people coming together. I don't think it could have happened anywhere else in quite the same way as it did, in the greatest city on earth.

It was very nearly the best day for the city ever, better than any Giants victory parade. The only day ahead of it, for me, is that sweet Valentine's Day that the city began the movement for marriage equality. Then, too, we took our stand for love.

Yesterday: totally amazing.

And now the news that November 15th will forever be known as Batkid Day? Even better.

Let's cherish the memory, that day we turned out by the thousands to honor one little boy, to bring him joy. We made magic. Let's keep it.

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