The Not-So Secret Santa
Tonight is a big night for me. I'm not even exaggerating. For the past 5 years, I have played the part of Santa for the local hospital's Pediatric Oncology and
Hematology Unit Christmas party. Tonight is the last time I will be able to play that part while at Notre Dame.
Over the past half decade, I have had many memorable moments that stem from this party. I've had a suit that was too small, a beard that was too gray, a pair of cowboy boots instead of snowboots, and I've tried to eat a cupcake one child made for me through my beard. The most memorable moment however, took place outside of the actual party.
I was walking through the local Meijer superstore the day after the party last year. I was approaching the checkout line when a familiar looking young boy approached me with a pen and paper. As a football player, I've seen this a few times so I appropriately kneeled and took hold of the pen and paper, asking who I was addressing this to. The young boy smiled when he looked at me and said,
"Could you write it to Sam...from Santa?"
As I looked up to find this child's father, a man patted me on the shoulder telling me the child's name was James, and Sam was his little brother. He wanted to get the autograph last night, even though he knew Santa was just a really big offensive lineman. This kid had figured it all out, he didn't ruin anyone else's party, and he seized the opportunity in Meijer to get that signature!
The point of this story is that this kid, James, knew who I was that night despite my being dressed up in a big red suit...Just like God knows who we are deep down when we try and dress our outside to be more pleasing to others. Forever, I will have the eyes of this young boy engrained in my mind when I'm putting a false foot forward, because I seriously believe that those same eyes are looking at me daily, whether I put on a big red suit and cater to the world, or I walk out that door with the face of righteousness and the face of Christ as my own.
Saving up for one last Ho ho ho!
Bobby
Hematology Unit Christmas party. Tonight is the last time I will be able to play that part while at Notre Dame.Over the past half decade, I have had many memorable moments that stem from this party. I've had a suit that was too small, a beard that was too gray, a pair of cowboy boots instead of snowboots, and I've tried to eat a cupcake one child made for me through my beard. The most memorable moment however, took place outside of the actual party.
I was walking through the local Meijer superstore the day after the party last year. I was approaching the checkout line when a familiar looking young boy approached me with a pen and paper. As a football player, I've seen this a few times so I appropriately kneeled and took hold of the pen and paper, asking who I was addressing this to. The young boy smiled when he looked at me and said,
"Could you write it to Sam...from Santa?"
As I looked up to find this child's father, a man patted me on the shoulder telling me the child's name was James, and Sam was his little brother. He wanted to get the autograph last night, even though he knew Santa was just a really big offensive lineman. This kid had figured it all out, he didn't ruin anyone else's party, and he seized the opportunity in Meijer to get that signature!
The point of this story is that this kid, James, knew who I was that night despite my being dressed up in a big red suit...Just like God knows who we are deep down when we try and dress our outside to be more pleasing to others. Forever, I will have the eyes of this young boy engrained in my mind when I'm putting a false foot forward, because I seriously believe that those same eyes are looking at me daily, whether I put on a big red suit and cater to the world, or I walk out that door with the face of righteousness and the face of Christ as my own.
Saving up for one last Ho ho ho!
Bobby
posted by Bobby at 10:52 AM
3 Comments:
How sweet!!! And Suz has been gone ALL DAY... how'd she beat me?! HAHA!
Can you stop using my comment board as a medium for conversation? Gosh....haha
Well on that note... NO! HAHA! Suz, you should be good at patience... in all your rector 'holiness'. Doesn't patience come in the 'holiest rector' manual? Oh wait, you got the 'unholy' version!! Sorry, Bobby!
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