I thought back to all the
times as a boy I had come awake on this day,
sure that a surprise gift or two waited for me under a glorious tree
festooned with colored lights. There
would be no tree or gift this morning and I felt lonely and rather sad, even at
age 24. I switched on the lamp and
beneath it on the bedside table sat a small box wrapped in Christmas paper.
Opening it, I discovered a pine cone,
round and open with square woody sprigs sprouting out. The touches of pine sap had dried to a white
frosting, making it very Christmas-like.
It was beautiful. It was
wonderful. I’ve kept it for years.
The pine cone is an
ancient symbol of enlightenment and no doubt one of the nuns believed I was in need of a good measure of
it I laughed to myself. She was probably right.
A half hour
later I stood next to an old priest on the altar as he said Mass and I
functioned as the altar server. I looked
out at the forty women in their religious habits and saw one who might have
been the oldest smiling at me. She was
beaming and her hand gave me a little wave.
Later at
breakfast, I spoke to her. “Thank you so
much for the pine cone. Why did you do that for me?”
“You’re the youngest here,”
she said. “You would miss Christmas
presents the most.”
I was embarrassed. “I guess I’ll get over it someday,” I said.
“Oh, you needn’t rush,” she
said. “Embrace that longing you have for a gift from under the Christmas
tree. Feel it and let it remind you that
something deeper in you is longing for Him."
“Longing for a Christmas
present and longing for God are not the same,” I said.
“Are you sure?” She laughed. “Don't be so holy. Let your desires show you what your soul
already knows to be true."
"I'm not sure I know
what I want," I said.
"You will know when
you listen," she said.
When I listened, I found strength to live by,
and coincidentally the meaning of Christmas.
It is Emmanuel, the name that means He is with us. There is someone who walks the path by our
side throughout our lives, who shows himself at the oddest times through a
variety of people. It turns out our
salvation is worked out among our friends and neighbors. And all we need to do is
what that little sign tells us … the one we often see at this time of year hanging
in a store, a bar, an office, a dorm room or a home. It explains everything in one word,
"Believe." It's all we need if
we want to see miracles happen all around us.
You know, I can't give
Kickstart his faith. But I can give him a
symbol and pray that he listens. I can
give him my pine cone.
Listen and you will hear
what’s inside you..
Believe and He will be with you..
Emmanuel.
Merry Christmas!
copyright 2014, David Griffin
The Windswept Press
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
