A lesson from the street

When I used to watch Sesame Street as a kid, there was one episode where Elmo made a wish that Christmas would be every day.  Well, he soon found out that Santa was physically exhausted, the carolers lost their voice and so on.  I'm glad that the commercial Christmas doesn't happen every day, but it seems like it lasts from September to January.  I decorated some of the house today.  We are not the house that goes all out.  It's usually a strand of lights in the window, the tree, the nativity and something on the mantel.  Everything is up except for the tree.  The nativity is my FAVORITE part.

My mom has one of the most beautiful nativity scenes ever.  It is completely white and simple. I waited for so many years to be old enough to be able to put it up all by myself.  It has since become my job every year and I leave it until last just so I can take my time on it and think about each piece and what it represents.

My favorite piece besides Mary, Jesus and Joesph is the little shepherd boy.  He seems so pure and full of innocence as he gazes upon the Baby Jesus.  I wonder what he was thinking all those years ago.  Did he understand anything about what was happening?  Was he just as frightened as the shepherds when the angel came? 

I sometimes think about what it would be like to have been there that night.  I don't think that those people grasped the whole meaning of that night and what it would bring in the future.  Too many people miss that meaning in today's world too.  If Elmo were to wish for Christmas to be celebrated in the way of celebrating Jesus' birthday everday, I'd be alright with that.