The other day I was thinking of CHRISTMAS — and CHRISTMASES PAST. Almost automatically, the faces and voices of our children entered my mind. It seems so long ago when they were young and small. But there are a few CHRISTMASES THAT ARE REALLY MEMORABLE.
Stephanie was 7; Nancy was 5. It was CHRISTMAS EVE, and they were upstairs sound asleep in their beds. Their grandparents were visiting, and since Grandpa had the general shape of SANTA CLAUS, we dressed him in the RED SUIT. He really looked the genuine article.
All but the tree lights were off and, in the half gloom of the living room, SANTA went about DOING HIS THING laying out gifts.
I went upstairs and awakened the girls. Quietly we tiptoed to the top of the steps and watched the JOLLY ONE below. It was a moment of SHEER MAGIC. After a few minutes of unbelievable wonder and joy they crept back to bed.
Many, many years later Stephanie told me, "Daddy, we knew that was Grandpa dressed like Santa Claus, BUT YOU SEEMED TO BE HAVING SO MUCH FUN, WE DIDN'T WANT TO RUIN IT FOR YOU".
There's a Christmas message in there somewhere. Maybe it's about KINDNESS, SENSITIVITY… MAYBE IT'S ABOUT LOVE… Maybe, in a small way, it's a bout G OD, A BABY JESUS, AND US… I don't know… maybe.
Chalk it up to a father who's getting old, and sits around just thinking.