Things are pretty quiet on the
day job today, though I am actually getting something constructive done
(for which they pay me, not just doing my last-minute online shopping).
Of the few people that even showed up today, and the fewer still that
are hanging around at lunchtime, most are just biding their time until
the boss does the annual tour-of-shaking-hands to wish us a "happy
holidays" (another soap-box rant). They then ignore the sound of beating
feet towards the door as soon as they turn their backs.
I do have some other things I want to do today. And some other things I need to do today.
I
think what I miss most about my younger days (college) is the week or
so BEFORE Christmas, when the last final exam was completed -- the
stress was off, I could do all my shopping in a day, and then just chill
and mentally/spiritually prepare. Trying to fit all that into the
cracks of life is a drain, and really I tend to just do what's
necessary, waiting until it's finally over to be able to enjoy myself a
bit.
Kinda sad, really.
But
my new daughter gets to celebrate her first Christmas, even if she'll
have absolutely no idea what's happening. That's okay, there will be
plenty of pictures with which to embarrass her later.
Yesterday,
my family and Eric's family (the guy I do a lot of riding and running
with) went into Seattle for the gingerbread house display, dinner at
Gordon Biersch, and some shopping while waiting for the "indoor snow"
and a Santa appearance. While waiting, Eric's daughter mentioned about
how "Santa isn't real."
Ah... Time for me to step in. At 12 years old, she was mature enough to understand.
"What do you mean, 'Santa isn't real'? Don't you believe in magic?"
Blank stare. I don't think she expected anyone to challenge that thought. Least of all the engineer.
"Tell me something -- how do you feel when you give someone something?"
Another blank stare. She was trying to figure out how to answer the NEXT question without answering THIS one. I persisted.
"When you give something to someone, how does that make you feel? Do you feel good about it?"
Subtle nod with a cautious, "Yeeeeaaaaahhhh?"
"That's
Santa! The spirit of giving! When you're 2 years old, you have no way
to understand that, so you need something magical, some one to BE that
spirit until you can understand the feeling yourself. But by the time
you're old enough to figure out that the big guy in the red suit really
DOESN'T come down the chimney, you're also old enough to understand the
real magic. When you give someone something because you care, that's the
magic, that's Santa."
She smiled and nodded.
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