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X-mas in October...
17 years ago
General
I had an interesting encounter on the bus the other day. I was riding the bus from my workplace to the train station at the end of a long and frankly disheartening day. Two women climbed aboard with a little 3 or 4 year old girl. They were African-American, fairly young and talking to each other animatedly while they scooched the little girl along the aisle.
I was surprised because when the little girl saw me, she smiled at me. Not just a shy, "oh there's a big, old white guy looking at me" type of grin, but a 100 watt, eyes lit up, "REALLY happy to see you" kind of smile. I was surprised because I don't usually illicit that sort of reaction from kids--especially kids I don't even know. So, naturally, I smiled back.
This didn't really prepare me for what she did next. As her mom was herding her by me, she came right up to me, wrapped her arms around me and hugged. Like I was her long-lost grandpappy or something. And still with the big smile on her face.
Her mom was mortified, of course. She was apologizing and stuff as she dragged her daughter away and on back to the middle of the bus...and neither of the adults looked at me again.
I realized what was going on at about the time the little girl dove in for the hug. She thought I was Santa Claus. I mean, I can't imagine what else it could be. Like I say--I don't get that reaction from kids usually, but I HAVE gotten that reaction before. In fact, one of my nephews believed me to be the jolly old elf when I visited them last X-mas--mind you, I was at least wearing a Santa hat then. I even made a joking remark to her, although I said it gently, "I'm afraid I'm not Santa."
It was a really sweet moment and it made me feel happy...but it also makes me wonder about the casual lies we tell children in this day and age. It took me a long time to finally admit that the existence of Santa was unlikely when I was growing up. I didn't want not to believe. I had even more trouble shaking off my belief in Christianity--which was made harder by the fact that the adults either DID believe it too, or would never admit that they didn't.
I just wonder if that little girl is destined to grow up with people taking advantage of her gullibility...or if she'll get burned and become cynical and dispirited by the overwhelming reality of the world. I suppose that's why some people will always need Faith. Something to cling to and believe in because the world lets them down.
I hope she finds a way to find joy in the world itself, and not just in its insubstantial delusions.
I was surprised because when the little girl saw me, she smiled at me. Not just a shy, "oh there's a big, old white guy looking at me" type of grin, but a 100 watt, eyes lit up, "REALLY happy to see you" kind of smile. I was surprised because I don't usually illicit that sort of reaction from kids--especially kids I don't even know. So, naturally, I smiled back.
This didn't really prepare me for what she did next. As her mom was herding her by me, she came right up to me, wrapped her arms around me and hugged. Like I was her long-lost grandpappy or something. And still with the big smile on her face.
Her mom was mortified, of course. She was apologizing and stuff as she dragged her daughter away and on back to the middle of the bus...and neither of the adults looked at me again.
I realized what was going on at about the time the little girl dove in for the hug. She thought I was Santa Claus. I mean, I can't imagine what else it could be. Like I say--I don't get that reaction from kids usually, but I HAVE gotten that reaction before. In fact, one of my nephews believed me to be the jolly old elf when I visited them last X-mas--mind you, I was at least wearing a Santa hat then. I even made a joking remark to her, although I said it gently, "I'm afraid I'm not Santa."
It was a really sweet moment and it made me feel happy...but it also makes me wonder about the casual lies we tell children in this day and age. It took me a long time to finally admit that the existence of Santa was unlikely when I was growing up. I didn't want not to believe. I had even more trouble shaking off my belief in Christianity--which was made harder by the fact that the adults either DID believe it too, or would never admit that they didn't.
I just wonder if that little girl is destined to grow up with people taking advantage of her gullibility...or if she'll get burned and become cynical and dispirited by the overwhelming reality of the world. I suppose that's why some people will always need Faith. Something to cling to and believe in because the world lets them down.
I hope she finds a way to find joy in the world itself, and not just in its insubstantial delusions.
It never ceases to amaze me how people are so mortified by the innocent friendliness of children. That should not be suppressed, but encouraged. If such friendliness was encouraged, then perhaps the world will improve with the next generation.
Penh and I were doing a mascot promo shoot in San Francisco for UPN/44 (before the merger that made them 'The CW'. For once, I was not wearing the '44' logo costume (though Penh was still wearing the UPN logo suit). I was wearing a Santa suit (the producer noted that I didn't even need to use the extra stuffing! Thanks..........dick)
This one little girl saw me and just HAD to tell me what she wanted for Christmas. I hope she got it. She looked like she deserved it.
In my opinion, we are, each of us in our own way, a little piece of Santa. That glimmer of good will that causes us to smile to a complete stranger and greet them with some genuine warmth. While I, personally, don't give a flying rat's ass about the gift-giving aspect of it all......I do believe in spreading good cheer.
Of course, I try to do that all year long.
Some of the most random things can be some of the most uplifting thing for people. Kids have a habit of doing that. =)
its all part of growing up =)
"...and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!" Charles Dickens
be glad you look like Santa
you may of just given that girl a memory she will
cherish for the rest of here life
the day she hugged Santa in october.
really beautiful
>HUGS<
ps love to see a beard like that WOOF keep up the great look ^.^
at least your friends young child didnt call you pumba or dragon pumba when she saw ya
wish i had a little girl come and hug me with my tail on >.> lucky.
My son learned the "truth" about Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc but the time he was 8. He is an extremely intelligent boy and has always been grounded in reality. But, That didn't stop his heart from believing. He still receives his gifts from Santa on Christmas morning and he still likes to hunt eggs on Easter (he's 14 now). Sometimes, even when we know the truth, we still hold on to the fantasy. Somehow, it gives us comfort. And maybe let's us remain children a little longer.
I'm 38 and I still believe in Santa. ^-^
He said it was one of the hardest and bittersweet things he ever did in his life: especially when the physically and mentally challenged children AND adults came to talk to "Santa". And since he is proficient in American Sign Language, he got the hearing-impaired, too.
He would come home and break into tears, seeing some of those kids with barely nothing, coming up to Santa and wanting Santa to give to other children who were POORER than they.
Talk about a humbling experience...
If you go here
http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html
and type "religion" into the search box, you will find about 3,000 eye opening scientific papers and comments. The need for belief is built in to most humans, and some beliefs are a lot less destructive than others. Yea Santa!