Simply Saint Nick

He did not want to sit on my knee; he just wanted to talk to me. He seemed to be a little older than the other children. Though it is common to have older visitors, there was something in his manner that seemed different. So as much as I could make it seem that we were speaking one on one in a room full of people, I asked him what was on his mind. I was not prepared for the story he was about to relate.

“Santa,” he began, “it has been a hard year. I have tried to be good, but sometimes it is really hard. You see, I lost my father this past summer. I really miss him. Now Santa, they say that you are close with God and that you can get things done. All I want for Christmas is my dad back.”

A tear slowly rolled down his face as he gave me his dearest and heartfelt wish. This deeply touched me. I paused for a moment, thinking of what I might say to bring some peace to his young, hurting heart. Silently, I prayed for the words to say. Then my mouth began to speak without me fully realizing what I was going to say. We looked at each other, and for the next few moments, all the rest of the festive scene vanished away in order for the message to be heard.

“My child,” I began, “every year Santa is asked to do things that are impossible to do. But there are some things that even he cannot do. Though many seem to think so, Santa is not God. He is just a servant of God. I cannot bring your father back.”

With this, the young man’s tears began to flow steadily. I calmed him so I could continue. “I know that it all seems tough right now without him. However, I have to let you in on a secret.”

He looked up at me.

“Truly, you love your father. What if I were to tell you that he still loves you?”

His eyes widened. “He does? How?”

“Son,” I continued, “love is something that never ends. It is of God and is pure and holy. It lives on. If you still have your father’s love tucked deep in your heart and you honor that love, then he will never leave you. He is right there.” I pointed to his heart. “As long as your heart beats, he will be right there with you. Now you should live to honor your father by passing on some of that love to others, just like he passed that love on to you. In doing that, your love will last forever.”

He took a moment, but ever so slowly, a smile began to form on his young face. He was taking in the lesson, the lesson that I had no idea I was teaching when it was coming to me. I watched the miraculous that night; I watched the sad tears of a child grieving the loss of a parent turn into tears of joy at realizing that there was more to it than he had realized. Seeing this transformation, seeing the depths of his soul, moved me to tears as well. All I could do was hug him and remind him that Santa loved and believed in him. More importantly, God loved him too. As he turned and left the scene, I looked around to see not a dry eye in the house.

I contend it was not me and my feeble mind at work in this. Rather, it was something more. I prefer to give God the credit and praise. Someone much greater than me was at work, making me only a tool to bring a greater truth to a heart that needed it. Remember I told you that the bond between a child and Santa is sacred.