REMEMBER

Dad?
Yeah my darling.
Another bedtime story pleassssssse.

It’s already late sweet thing and we’ve got an early day tomorrow.

But it’s only 6.15pm daddy, pleasssssssse

OK angel but no interruptions this time.

I promise.

On a cold snowy winter’s day in December Anika is asking her mother
whether Father Christmas is real and not just made up by adults to keep
children quiet.

Her mother asks what do you mean by keeping children
quiet?

Mom, you know, often when I do things you don’t like, you tell me to stop
or otherwise you tell Father Christmas about it and he might not come
around this time.

Anika is nine years old living with her parents and older brother in a wooden house near a big forest.
Its cold outside, snow is blanketing the forest like a fluffy white duvet.

Dad what is blanketing? I don’t know the meaning and this is no interruption.

Lilly, darling, blanketing comes from the word blanket which you know, so
blanketing means covering, its like when you put a blanket on your legs
because you are cold, it also means that you are covering your legs.

Thanx Dad.

Great, let me continue.

Well, Anika you know what I once told you about Father Christmas with
his long white beard and soft red velvet coat. He lives way up north where
the days are dark but the love and fire in the hearts of the people light up their days. All year round they listen to the thoughts and desires of the children in order to deliver all the beautiful presents for Christmas.
Children that have been naughty throughout the year might not be able to
receive any presents.

Anika?

Mom?

Are you still listening?

I do.

Ok, and you know as well that it is not the material side of how many
presents you get, it is love and appreciation that is shown by all presents
you get no matter how small or big.

I know Mummy but today at school all the girls and boys in the classroom
said that I was a baby still to believe in Father Christmas who does not exist at all.
So, why would you suddenly listen to other people and not to your own
feelings?????

I don’t know Mummy, I am just very confused.

You just have to believe Anika and I believe it is bedtime now.
Come it’s late, brush your teeth and then quickly to bed with you.

Anika went to bed that night so tired that she fell asleep before her mother came to switch off the light.

Her mind was still busy re-thinking thoughts while suddenly Anika opened
her eyes, the entire room was lit up in a bright warm light.

A knock at the window, Anika gets up still half asleep opens the white frozen window to see what’s outside. She always was very curious.

Father Christmas is outside the window giving Anika a hand to climb through
the window into his glistening white slay with eight beautiful reindeer in
front. Anika couldn’t believe what was happening.

Anika asks Father Christmas whether this is real?
He just said, you are here with me talking to me, so it has to be.

They both walk through the snow, Anika in her long white night dress,
heading for the slay. Seated and wrapped in a huge white soft warm
comfortable throw Father Christmas gives a sign to his beautifully strong
reindeer for take off.

With a swift coordinated move all of them are air-born leaving house and
forest behind moving into a star studded blue sky.
The bells decorating the reindeer are playing a very familiar Christmas song, Anika tries to think but can’t remember the name of the song.

Father Christmas puts an arm around Anika to hold her close whispering
not to think too much and telling her to call him Santa.

Santa, where are we going?

I take you to a place where the days are dark but the love and fire in the
hearts of the people light up the days.

Is this the place my Mummy told me about?
Yes it is.

They come to a place where the flowers, plants, trees and animals are
colourful and speak to each other.

Santa is taking Anika to a house that seems small leading to a room that is
big, bigger than big.
What is this, Santa?
This is the room with all the wishes and presents for the children on earth.
It is an always expanding room.

Anika wishes to be home again with her family.

She wakes up in the morning, the window still open and walks into the
kitchen.

She looks at her mom and says I BELIEVE.

Mummy?

Yes Lilly.

Do you miss Dad ?

Yes darling, very very much.

I miss Daddy too and his stories but I don’t want to go now.
Why?
I don’t want to remember.
Lilly, my angel, I know it is not easy but it would be wrong to forget. We
always have to remember and remind the people of the cruelty and sadness
it has caused.

Ok Mummy.

Let’s go then, we don’t want to be late for the service.

Sept. 11, 2007


Do you remember?