Great lesson, Rick, from your daughter to us all. It reminded me of one I
witnessed when I was a pre-school teacher. It was nearing the holidays and
three boys--two five year-olds and one six year-old--were playing at a
table and discussing important things. I overheard the older of the five
year-olds proclaiming that there was _no_ Santa Claus. The younger of the
two was looking alarmed and disputing this revelation. The older boy said
quite clearly that THE PARENTS PUT THE TOYS UNDER THE TREE! The six
year-old was watching closely. As the younger of the two came close to
crying, the six year-old stepped in (fortunately before I did!).
"He's right, you know", he said to the younger one in a gentle voice, "the
parents do put the toys under the tree." And then, as the younger boy
clouded over again, he added, "But your parents GET the toys from Santa!"
He glanced over at the other five year-old (as did I) and we noticed that
both of the boys looked relieved. They went on to discuss other things.
Would that be a paradigm shifted, saved, or both???
(Whatever we would call it, I never have forgotten it. God willing, I will
someday become as wise as that six year-old....)
-- Tobin Tobin Quereau <quereau@austin.cc.tx.us>