Wonderstruck

Luc had just crawled into bed next to me, as I was sleeping in preparation for a night shift in pediatric emergency that night. I was half asleep and I peeked my eyes open at him. He was wearing his pajamas and a Santa hat. He stared out the window for a moment. Eyes wide as could be. He was looking at the blanket of snow that covered the ground this morning. It lit up the forest, it made everything look so bright.

Before he layed down he looked up into the sky. He smiled and then he put his head down. I never mind when he comes crawling into bed. Sometimes it is 10pm, sometimes it is 2am but by the morning there is usually a third in bed with us. These days won't last forever, when he's 16 I will be embarrassing him with I love you's. I will take what I can get.

Luc pulled the covers up over him. Kissed me on the cheek and rested his head on the pillow. Very lightly and very quietly he began to sing.

"Jingle Bells.... Jingle Bells..... Jingle all the way....." and he sang it about ten times as he fell asleep. The song got quieter and quieter as he drifted into dreamland and I couldn't help but smile. It was beautiful.

Earlier in the day we went to the park and took a hike. The snow was perfect for snowball making and the three of us engaged in a wonderful snowball fight. In the lodge at the park Santa was waiting. He was there to make ornaments for the kids as well as serve hot cocoa and cookies. And again Luc's eyes lit up.

He was full of wonder as he sat across from Santa.

Upon leaving Luc told me.... "Mom... this is the best day ever!"

To Luc the world is so very big and right now in his life, the world is very innocent. He doesn't know that halfway around the world children like him.... they don't get to see the world the same way. Hell in our own country children don't get to see the world the same way.

As much as I want that innocence to remain within him forever, I know it will slowly disappear in time.

Right now he believes in Santa Claus, and I remember what it was like when I was a child. I used to look into the sky and wonder how Santa got cold as he flew through the night. I wondered if he carried hot chocolate.

I wondered why he always asked us to leave him beer and cookies. Why not something warm to drink? :-)

Luc believes that this world is bigger than him. And it is. He believes that there is a power greater than himself out there. And there is. Right now he may call it Santa Claus. One thing is for sure.... I hope he always believes in something. I hope he always sees the magic of the snow. I hope he always sings himself to sleep with a Christmas song.

I hope he always sees the good in this world.... like he does right now.

He's teaching me so much about the power of believing. The faith of believing without having concrete evidence or proof that what we believe in even exists. He is showing me how to just put blind faith into something and know it will be wonderful.

Does it get any better than this?

:-) Mary