ChristmasLove
EachDecemberIpromisedtomakeChristmasarelaxedandpeacefulexperience.Ididn’tspendtoomuchtimeoncardwritingendlesscookinganddecorating.YetstillIfoundmyselftiredunabletoenjoythevaluablefamilymomentsandofcoursetounderstandthetruemeaningof .
Christmascameagain.MysonNicholaswasinprimaryschoolthatyear.Itwasavery seasonforasix-year-old.Forweekshe’dbeenmemorizingsongsforhisschool’s“WinterCelebration.”Alltheparentswereinvitedtobepresentattheirshow.
Ididn’thavethehearttotellhimI’dbeworking.Unwillingto hisshiningmomentIspokewithhisteacher.Shetoldmethere’dbeadressrehearsal(彩排)themorningofthepresentation.All unabletobepresentthateveningwerewelcometocomethen.
Soonthe ofthedressrehearsalIarrivedtenminutesearly.AroundtheroomIsawseveralotherparents.Becausethepublicschoolsystemhadlongstoppedreferringtotheholidayas“Christmas”Ididn’t anythingotherthanfun.Sowhenmyson’sclassrosetosing“ChristmasLove”Iwasalittlebitsurprisedbyitstitle.
Nicholaswasexcitedaswereallofhisclassmates.Thoseinthefrontrowhelduplargelettersonebyoneto outthetitleofthesong.Astheclasswouldsing“CisforChristmas”achildwouldholduptheletterC.Then“HisforHappy”andonandon allthechildrenpresentedthecompletemessage“ChristmasLove”.
Theshowwasgoingsmoothlyuntilsuddenlyasmallquietgirlinthefrontrowheldtheletter“M”upsidedown—totallynotknowingherletter“M”appearedasa“W”.Theaudience(观众)laughedatthislittlegirl’s .Butshehadnoideawhytheywerelaughingathersoshestoodtall holdingher“W”.Thelaughtercontinueduntilthelastletterwasraisedandweallsawittogether.Asudden cameovertheaudienceandeyesbegantowiden.Atthatmomentweunderstoodwhywewerethereandwhywe theholiday.
Forwhenthelastletterwasheldhighthemessagereadloudandclear:“CHRISTWASLOVE”.