For many a year
Children write letters to Santa
Or ask their parents on their birthday
Or wish upon shooting stars
But I do not want a gift from Saint Nicholas
For he will not come, he is not real
I don’t want anything more from my parents
Than what they have already given me
And I do not wish upon shooting stars
For rocketing comets can give me absolutely nothing more
Than a pretty show in the sky for a couple seconds

I do not want my friends to spend their money
To prove their care and affections for me
Nor do I ask for money to put in my pocket
Just so I can buy a meaningless toy

For that is all it is,
That is all gifts are;
Toys
They are useless but entertaining fancies
That we give to someone as a material proof of our affection
But they are useless
Even the pretty clothes,
Even the new coffee maker you wanted so desperately
Even that nice new shiny phone
Means absolutely nothing

That brand new shirt won’t stop a storm, a hurricane or an earthquake
That necklace won’t make you any prettier
That coffee maker won’t save your loved ones’ life
Nor will it make your friends like you more
That fancy phone you treasure is worthless
It does not make you appreciated nor loved
And all those expensive appliances and accessories
Will do nothing for you when you need them
They won’t be able to gain you a single second of life longer as you lie on your deathbed

Because once you die it won’t matter
Whether you left the world on a dirty floor with empty pockets
Or if you were in a hospital bed surrounded by your riches

You money will wither away and die
Yet it will be valued more than your own life by others

So I won’t write letters to Santa
Nor ask my parents on my birthday
Nor wish upon shooting stars
But I will pray
To whatever, or whoever is out there
And is willing to hear
These are the gifts I ask for:

I ask for people to TAKE ME AS I AM
I ask for THOSE WHOM I LOVE, NOT TO SUFFER
I ask for help, so I can LEARN TO LOVE MYSELF AGAIN
I ask for JUSTICE UPON THOSE WHO DO WRONG
And I ask for REWARD TO THOSE WHO DO WELL
I want THOSE IN PAIN TO BE SHOWN MERCY
But above all, I want a few seconds more as I lie dying,
Just a few seconds more before I die,
To say
THANK YOU.