Week 11 Year 1 - Monday, December the 19th 2011
"The Kingdom of Silence"
Today’s Christmas shopping day for me. I’m having breakfast in the kitchen writing my to-do list. My Christmas shopping day always turns out to be the craziest and busiest day of the year, probably because I always leave it to the last minute, so when I set out to go for it I’m dressed for war. I can already see myself making my way through crowds of people, going crazy trying not to lose my bits and pieces as the number of things to carry grows and the heat reaches such an unbearable level I slowly have to strip off all the layers I have on; scarf, hat, gloves, coat, sweater. What a nuisance ! I completed my people’s list, that is, the people I need to get a present for. Now I have to work out my options list. This coffee is a little sour, where did I put the honey? The options list is where I list options. That is, alternatives which could suit each one on my people’s list. A couple of alternatives can help save a lot of time. Last but not least, the budget. That’s when a very faint hint of a potential headache settles in. I would never go on my Christmas shopping day without a list. It would be like sailing without a compass or unleashing SUB’s wildest fantasies. By closing time I’d probably be found sitting on the floor somewhere, watching something on the line of “The Lion King”, with a mouthful of cake and surrounded by all sorts of seasonal goodies.
Looking back, I remember I always looked forward to Christmas for, as every other kid, the holyday break, the tons of sweets and goodies, the fun and excitement in discovering and playing with my new toys. But above all I was excited because another Silent night was approaching. How I loved it. I still do. I remember I’d wait for everyone to go to sleep and slip out of bed. I’d spend hours looking out of the window. It always used to snow on Silent night. Everything was covered in pure white snow and the most beautiful soft and warm blue moonlight embraced the night. All was perfectly still as if someone had stopped the hands of time and the silence so deep and so intense. I knew there was magic going on out there. The whole world was getting ready to welcome Santa Claus, the prince of the Kingdom of Silence. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything in the world. I too was part of that magic, I was perfectly blended with that crystal clear world of silence and stillness and I knew I’d get to see him one day. Very few kids get to see him and if you’re able to meet the reindeers’ gaze, you’re the luckiest of all. But it is very difficult because if they see anything move they’ll run away. - "I have seen both of them." - "Yes SUB, I know, but don’t tell anyone please."
I’m running late, need to get up and going. Drive all the way to this huge shopping center. I know I’ll find everything I need there and the good thing is that I can eventually store things in the trunk of my car whenever I need to, so I won’t go crazy. I walk in and immediately notice this beautiful Christmas tree next to which there’s a large circular space where a Father Christmas is sitting entertaining kids. How cute, the kids. I remember when I was a kid, I never quite liked these guys dressed up as father christmas, I just couldn’t understand why I should seat on the lap of a perfect stranger wearing a wobbly beard which smelt of tobacco. I knew they were not the real one. Santa Claus would never show up in such a noisy place and he doesn’t smoke. And his voice was different. - "What is it SUB? Sit on his lap? I don’t think so. No SUB, don’t you dare, I am warning you!"
In The Kingdom of Silence, there are no voices, but Santa’s. There are no noises but the tinkling sound of fairies and no other but his beloved furry friends. Santa Claus does not hear our voices but only our thoughts and dreams. It’s all he cares about. That is why we should always be careful of what we think and dream. In his kingdom, stars sprinkle a magic dust from which the most graceful fairies and unicorns spring. They take care of us all year round and tell Santa about our dreams, if we have any. Do you have a dream? Hold on to it. It’s a magic world and very few can see it. You have to be very special. Like in a video game, only the right thought will open up a window looking onto that magic world for you. Santa and his reindeers come to us on Silent Night. We think they come to bring us presents, but it’s not so. Yes it is also for the presents but, the true reason for which they visit us is our dreams. When Santa comes visiting us on Silent Night, he always leaves some magical star dust on our pillow. This star dust can do a lot for us, it depends on what we dream and think. It may also, if we allow it to, help us find our dreams. But you need to believe in magic.
On Silent night, Santa and his reindeers travel a very long way to come visit us. In one night alone, they will have to visit everyone in the whole wide world. It’s a lot of work. The reindeers get tired and they often get hungry too. That is why we have Christmas trees. Did you know that? Christmas trees are there for the reindeers. We need to place a big bright Star on top of it so that they can see it from afar. Then we need to hang food for them on the branches. Reindeers eat from trees, not dishes. They need energy, so it will have to be sugar. You can hang loads of sweets up there for them but if you really want to make them happy, hang loads of dry fruit up, like dates, figs and chestnuts. They love them. Why do grown-ups hang all those colored balls and lights instead of food I don’t know, beats me. I’ve never seen anyone eat light bulbs, have you? While the reindeers eat and get some strength back, the fairies and unicorns put our presents under the tree and Santa sprinkles some star dust on our pillow. Make sure you sleep in your bed that night.
This pillow is a little strange, kind of curly. And what is this brouhaha I hear? All around kids are laughing so much they could choke, they’re in stitches!. I am sitting in this guy’s lap, the one dressed up like father Christmas, hugging him. I don’t know if I’m breathing at the moment. I’m so embarrassed. I get up and look at the guy. His face is buried in a huge beard, can’t see much of him. I’m about to apologize when I meet his gaze. A shiver runs through my spine. That is not the guy I saw earlier. And those eyes, I’ve seen them before. He smiles at me. All of a sudden, silence, a very deep silence. I can’t hear anything anymore apart from a faint tinkling. I look at the kids, they’re still laughing but I can’t hear them. I look back at Santa. Through his eyes I can see the kingdom of Silence. His head bows gently and he says to me - “Merry Christmas SUB”.
Note 1 SUB and I are taking a break until Monday the 2nd of January 2012.
