This little girl didn’t know anything about Santa. She didn’t even know children could request him to bring exquisite presents of their choice. The magic of gifts or Christmas was never real for her…it existed only in the stories.
She could not visit a single day in her memory when she had received a gift. She lived in a small town, oblivious of any such festivities. The cocoon in which she existed was just wide enough to peep outside and see the commotion of people, wearing new dresses and going somewhere.
The magic of gifts:
Gifts can be so magical and so loving was revealed to her through a story, which she happened to read in one of her schoolbooks. For the first time she could experience the joy of receiving gifts just by reading that story.
She always wanted to know more…why gifts are given…how could she get one and when would she get it!
She could never get an answer for her questions, so she had become quieter but the stormy thoughts in her mind didn’t subside.
Till she saw Santa!
She couldn’t believe that he actually existed. She went closer to touch him and all her friends laughed. But she was now grown up enough to understand all!
Trust in this mystical figure can only be created at a very young age when children look up to their parents and believe all they say, when they learn to be good for the sake of Santa, when they can smile at the make believe world created for them, just for fun! She had missed that stage of her life.
How she yearned to grow up again, to be loved, to be heard, to be understood!
Not just for the gifts she had never received.
But to grow up with that magic, which is renewed each year, to wait for the gifts which were lovingly left under the tree, to look in awe at such a dazzling Christmas tree, to nurture the faith in Santa that comes naturally… to grow up with the feeling of belongingness…to fit into the multi-cultural society that looks down upon certain people.
The lessons:
As an adult, she refused to live according to the expectations of the society. She crawled out of that cocoon, which had made her reclusive. She chose her friends very carefully. She abandoned certain people she didn’t like.
She found great satisfaction in giving. All the gifts that she had not received were given. She started with her own children but her range was much wider than her surroundings.
Christmas was not the only time to create the magic of gifts. Now She knew how to create magical moments of fun… her efforts were just a grain of sand; a drop in the ocean but that thought didn’t deter her efforts.
The blessings:
The innumerable blessings that she continues to receive have steered her towards the path of humility, forgiveness and spirituality. She wonders how she gets the resilience and which force is guiding her trail. The travails of childhood have contributed to her growth in a huge way, she knows that. She doesn’t hold any grudges. She expresses gratitude to all those who neglected her and provided her with the invaluable lessons of care and affection.
These emotions have evolved with time and age. Forgiveness and gratitude were the most hard and arduous to cultivate. She spoke to her inner voice thousands of times; she calmed its shouts as many times and has succeeded in convincing herself that life is content and peaceful if we accept it as it comes.
Thank you for reading this. I am sure you have some thoughts to share. Please do so.
If you have liked this article, please share it at your favorite social networks.
Thank you for your support. Please share your valuable reflections, they are much appreciated.
Balroop Singh.
First image credit
Like this:
Like Loading...
Emotional Shadows 