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Along Life’s Way
Her Christmas List: A Fable
By Lois E. Wilson
The little 6-year-old girl hung up the phone. She had tears in her
eyes. Her father was on another one of his extended out-of-town
business trips.
The family had discussed the father’s promotion and how it required him
to do a lot of travel. He would be an on-site trouble shooter for the
company. Her parents were counting on his increased income to provide a
better life for them.
She had made a Christmas list to give Santa when she and her mother
went to the mall. She put on it: a doll, craft kit, Juno baby elephant,
Little Kitties Mice Mania and a new coat.
When her mother wasn’t looking, at the top of her list she added a
wish: “Please let Daddy be home.” She stuck a star sticker by that
request so Santa would be sure to see it. Her father had not been home
to attend any of her school events. She was looking forward to the
holidays when she’d see him more.
Slowly the days passed until Christmas Eve. Her father called and
said he probably would not make it home for their special dinner
because of a snowstorm in the area. She and her mother had invited
their grandparents to join them.
After dinner as they were sitting around the tree and opening presents,
her grandmother looked at her and asked, “Dear, why are you so quiet,
you seem sad?”
She answered, “I wish my Daddy were here. I hope Santa brings my
Christmas list!” She waited and kept looking at the clock, but her
father did not arrive.
At ten, her mother told her, “Tomorrow is a big day—and you need to get
to bed.” Reluctantly she went upstairs and put on her pajamas. She
hoped for good presents in the morning.
She woke up early and quietly went down the steps to the living room.
She smiled when she saw her father asleep in the lounge chair. She ran
over and climbed into the chair to give him a big hug, kissed him, and
exclaimed, “You’re here—Santa read my list! I’m sorry,” she said. “I
shouldn’t have bothered you.—but I couldn’t help it! I was too
surprised.”
He grabbed her and gave her a hug “You’re never a bother; I drove all
night for that hug! The drive was worth it. I have good news. From now
on I will be working here at the home office. I won’t be doing much
travel.”
Moral: The best income is the in-coming of our loved ones—their
presence beats other presents we might receive. This year we put at the
top of our Christmas lists—the conquering of Covid-19.We pray that it
will no longer be an important factor in our life decisions.
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