I was raised in a family that celebrated Christmas to the fullest. We were never in danger of overlooking or forgetting the real meaning of Christmas, but my preacher daddy was more excited about Santa Claus than any of the children. I remember being awakened at 2 am to see what Santa had brought! My dad even made up an enduring story about one of Santa's elves, "Skinnypoo", who to this day, lives in the pinky finger of every good little boy and girl. Skinnypoo is only happy when he is helping, so girls and boys who want to make Skinnypoo happy need to be good helpers.
Is Santa a lie? Maybe, but it's more about the magic of childhood. Is Cinderella a lie? What about Spiderman, the Velveteen Rabbit, Harry Potter, and Mary Poppins? Are children so fragile that they must only be given factual heroes? I think not. If children can only handle reality, then you'd better be careful about what books and movies are allowed in your home, to say nothing of television!
My own children were raised with a belief in Santa Claus, but always knew that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. They were also taught that parents pay for the presents Santa brings, so their expectations wouldn't be unrealistic. I don't remember any crushed or damaged psyches when they learned the reality of Santa Claus - no one said, "Well, if Santa isn't real, then Jesus must not be either!"
I have no problem with what parents choose to teach their children. If you don't have room in your life for both Santa and Jesus, I truly hope you're choosing Jesus! But I don't believe it has to be one or the other. I think there's room for both.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Making Connections, Renewing Memories
I had the most amazing experience today. I was in Nashville for a meeting at the Youth Opportunity Center. Erin Daunic, who works for STARS Nashville, was giving us a tour of the building. She showed us her office and I stepped in to admire the view of downtown Nashville from her window. As I turned back towards the door, I saw her framed diplomas on the wall. One was from Vanderbilt, the other from Washington and Lee.
I said, "I see you went to Washington and Lee." She said yes, and I said, "I used to live in Buena Vista." She said, "When? Why?" I said, "In the 60's, because my dad worked at Southern Seminary." She said, "I worked there my first job out of college! I worked in the Admissions office!" She said, "Where did you live?" I replied, "Across the street from the campus." She exclaimed, "In that big beautiful white house?" I said, "No, the Robeys lived in that house. We lived next door." She said, "In the white house? That's where my office was!"
I asked Erin if she happened to work in the room upstairs on the left, and she replied that she worked in the room upstairs on the right. I told her that was my brother's bedroom, and mine was on the left. I said that I actually had the room on the right until we remodeled the house when my dad became president of the college.
Erin said, "That house had an unusual walk-down bathroom." I said yes, that bathroom opened into my parents' bedroom. I told her that before we moved there, the house had been used as faculty housing. Each bedroom had its own sink, and the bathroom had a shower and 2 toilet stalls. When we remodeled, we put in the tub and opened it up to the bedroom next door. I said that was when I moved across the hall, because I had a tiny powder room and lots of built-in shelves and closets. She said, "Yes! That was the financial aid office!" I told her we added on the family room at the back, and the big kitchen.
Erin asked if I went to Buena Vista (pronounced "byoona vista") High School, and I said, "Yes, Parry McCluer." She said, "Yes! Parry McCluer! That was at the bottom of the hill!" I agreed that it was, indeed, at the bottom of the hill. I told her I lived there when the big flood came through with Hurricane Camille. Erin told me that she also grew up on college campuses, and so did her husband. We agreed that it was a unique lifestyle, and nobody could understand unless they did.
We talked a little bit about the campus, various buildings on it, and memories. I mentioned that the college had a good equestrian program while we were there. She said it did when she was there too, and asked if I were an equestrian. I said, "No, but my dad always loved horses." Then I said, "My brother spent a lot of time on the tennis courts," to which she replied, "Which were right across the street from your hous!" Yes, they were.
We moved away from Buena Vista in 1970, and Erin went there in 1994. In the 43 years since I moved from there, I've never come across anyone who lived there. Erin's lived in Nashville 17 years, and said she's never met anyone from there in those years. Now we have, and not onlly someone who lived there, but someone who shared the same house, many years apart. Amazing.
I said, "I see you went to Washington and Lee." She said yes, and I said, "I used to live in Buena Vista." She said, "When? Why?" I said, "In the 60's, because my dad worked at Southern Seminary." She said, "I worked there my first job out of college! I worked in the Admissions office!" She said, "Where did you live?" I replied, "Across the street from the campus." She exclaimed, "In that big beautiful white house?" I said, "No, the Robeys lived in that house. We lived next door." She said, "In the white house? That's where my office was!"
I asked Erin if she happened to work in the room upstairs on the left, and she replied that she worked in the room upstairs on the right. I told her that was my brother's bedroom, and mine was on the left. I said that I actually had the room on the right until we remodeled the house when my dad became president of the college.
Erin said, "That house had an unusual walk-down bathroom." I said yes, that bathroom opened into my parents' bedroom. I told her that before we moved there, the house had been used as faculty housing. Each bedroom had its own sink, and the bathroom had a shower and 2 toilet stalls. When we remodeled, we put in the tub and opened it up to the bedroom next door. I said that was when I moved across the hall, because I had a tiny powder room and lots of built-in shelves and closets. She said, "Yes! That was the financial aid office!" I told her we added on the family room at the back, and the big kitchen.
Erin asked if I went to Buena Vista (pronounced "byoona vista") High School, and I said, "Yes, Parry McCluer." She said, "Yes! Parry McCluer! That was at the bottom of the hill!" I agreed that it was, indeed, at the bottom of the hill. I told her I lived there when the big flood came through with Hurricane Camille. Erin told me that she also grew up on college campuses, and so did her husband. We agreed that it was a unique lifestyle, and nobody could understand unless they did.
We talked a little bit about the campus, various buildings on it, and memories. I mentioned that the college had a good equestrian program while we were there. She said it did when she was there too, and asked if I were an equestrian. I said, "No, but my dad always loved horses." Then I said, "My brother spent a lot of time on the tennis courts," to which she replied, "Which were right across the street from your hous!" Yes, they were.
We moved away from Buena Vista in 1970, and Erin went there in 1994. In the 43 years since I moved from there, I've never come across anyone who lived there. Erin's lived in Nashville 17 years, and said she's never met anyone from there in those years. Now we have, and not onlly someone who lived there, but someone who shared the same house, many years apart. Amazing.
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