The Same, But Not

Every year at this time I start getting that feeling that I want to escape. No, it is not the weather, the cold, damp, dark days that push me into thinking that 'south' is the place to be. That is a different kind of escape. I am talking about escaping from Christmas.

Fast forward just a bit and I am sure you can relate to the way I feel when Christmas Eve finally arrives. The shopping, planning, banquets and all the periphery stuff is finally out of the way. You take a deep breath and if you are in church, like I always am on Christmas Eve, you are suddenly hit by the significance of it all. It is a combination of relief that you survived the mall, or the Internet shopping, and hearing the carols with a listening ear for the first time, even though they have been blaring all of December. You are humbled by the fact, if by nothing else, that this story has endured for 2012 years and is going strong. You are confronted with what is the most significant thing in your life, and that is your connection with God, through Jesus, and here you are, remembering and celebrating with millions of others around the globe.   

These three 'same but not' photos, are like the Christmases that come, one after another through the years. The subject matter is identical year after year, but somehow we see them a little differently each year. Getting back to my desire to escape, I must clarify. It is not the heart of the matter that makes me cringe and want to hide, but the incessant frills, bells, and whistles that are a prelude to the significant moment, that hits me every year.

Now, as a grandfather, I see Christmas through my grandsons eyes. I try to remember what it was like for me at that age, and perhaps try to make it just a bit more significant for them. More rewarding than the food, the fun, the laughter, or the presents, is the one comment from a child-like heart, that shows me that one of them has made a connection to the Christ Child. I can easily escape all else, but would not miss a moment like that for all the world.