Merry Christmas to all who visit and connect with VLM

I know the Leafs play in New York tonight, but I have - for me at least - more important things to say and share. If you'd like to comment on the game, feel free, but there will be many others this season and I hope to be watching "It's A Wonderful Life" with one of my sons.  I can't do that every night.  So I may not be as up-to-date on Leaf happenings as I might otherwise be...

Where do I start with this post? Maybe with the obvious. This is, without question, a special time of year for a lot of people.  That said, I also know it is, in fact, an especially difficult time for those who are ill, lonely or feeling downcast for any number of reasons.  But this remains, at least for me, a time of hope and faith.  Faith in the things I believe in, and hope that, for myself but especially for those I care deeply about, they will find peace and some kind of contentment or satisfaction in a world that often can kick good people around.

That comment is not an indictment of society, just the reality of life experience these past 60 plus years.  There are some wonderful people out there and I have encountered many.  But whoever coined the phrase “man’s inhumanity to man” was on to something, eh?

So no, it’s not easy for people sometimes, not even at what is supposed to be a joyous time of year.  I’ll speak for myself, though some of you may share the sentiment: I would be foolhardy not to appreciate all that is good, and especially the love of family. I have lived my life with a quite remarkable woman for more than 35 years and it is a relationship I cherish more than any I have ever had.  We have raised four sons that we are immensely proud of. We lost a son when he was very young many years ago, and that has no doubt made us appreciate our living sons all the more.

So for me, this is a special time of year.  It certainly was when I was a little boy, and receiving, for example, my first Leaf sweater (at Christmas, as I recall—it was the then ‘away’ white Leaf jersey with the blue piping). And it still is special.

My 'joy' tends to be reserved and it may not always be evident by my countenance (I’m not someone who smiles easily, for example) but I know what is important to me—and I’m sure those of you reading this note today know and treasure the things that are important to you, and especially those close to you.

I happen to be a Christian, a Roman Catholic.  I share that simply because I am one of those people who means it when I say “Merry Christmas”.  To me, it’s more than simply a commercial day of buying things (though that’s fun, too!).  While I don't always see eye to eye with the fellows in Rome (I do like this new Pope a lot, however—anyone who takes a bus to work when they are a Cardinal is OK in my book), I live in hope.

I raise this not because it has anything to do with being a Leaf fan (though my Dad being French and Catholic sure seemed to tie in to his being a devoted Hab supporter when I was growing up) but because it is indeed part of who I am when I write here. 

I well recognize that many visiting here “follow” a different faith, or may not have a faith life at all.  We all live by our conscience in the end.  Thank goodness we are not all like-minded, whether in life or with regard to something as insignificant as being a hockey fan. Can you imagine?

What I am really trying to say is, if you celebrate Christmas, for example, I can maybe relate.  If you celebrate this time of year from a different religious or cultural perspective/tradition, I may not be in your shoes, but I hope you find joy and comfort in that personal expression of faith. I also hope that you are always free to express those beliefs and values—wherever you live.

So, I hope no one will take offense when I say Merry Christmas to everyone who visits here, and especially those who take the time to post here either regularly or on occasion.  It’s like languages.  I can only speak English and some of my long lost French but I would wish people here all the best in their own native language if I could.  With that in mind, I wish you all good things—whatever your expression of faith (or not) is.

From a VLM perspective, I have not only corresponded with folks here, but have developed an e-mail relationship with a few of you, and that has been tremendous as well. (I can be reached at Michael@prospectcommunications.com)  But let me make a point, by name, of citing specific individuals who have helped make this site special to me.  I know the “number” of visitors here no doubt pales compared with most of the large Leaf sites, but the quality of the posts here makes it worthwhile, at least for me.

So in no particular order, here are some of the people (by the names they post with here) who have made contributions to VLM since it began in 2009, and/or in more recent times. (P.S., if I have neglected to include you here, my bad.  It is not intentional in the least.  I read all posts closely and know who has commented here over the years, and who has stayed with VLM through the ups and downs of following the Maple Leafs. We can be a moody bunch.)

So Merry Christmas to:

-Bobby Craig (forever Bobby C. for me)

-Oliver T

-BlueANDwhite

-Scarborough Anon

-C.N.

-DP

-Leafdreamer

-Willbur

-InTimeFor62

-Ed (wonderful ‘old’ Leaf fan, who has been around even longer than myself)

-Matty Dubbs (Matt)

-Steve Colombo

-Gerund O’Malley (Gerund O’ to me and not young anymore, either)

-Purch

-RLMcC (Ralph, an old codger like me)

-Lukas

-Jim

-Pete Cam (another veteran of Leaf hockey)

-Pete Davies

-Portuguese Leaf

-CGLN (from Finland)

-Kiwi Leaf (clearly not from Finland!)

-Apollo678

-Seandelville (Sean)

-Alex C.

-Tans66

-TML_fan (Don)

-Sasko T

I highlight these people in part because their posts are inevitably well thought out and worth reading. Maybe even more importantly to me, they are steadfastly respectful, even when they disagree with my comments or those of other posters.  There are plenty of places where we can be criticized or made to feel marginalized simply because we express an opinion.  I have made a point of VLM never becoming one of those places.  I hope I have succeeded.

So while it is likely a bad “sign” that I can literally name people off the top of my head who post here (versus the sites that gets hundreds of a posts a day if they simply put up a game-day thread without any actual information) I’ll stand by those who visit here.

This has been a long-winded way (I know no other way) of saying Merry Christmas to you, your families and loved ones.  I don’t know how long I will continue with this labour of love, but all things being equal, I hope it will be a while yet.  Thank you for contributions here. I value them.