St. Nick's Dilemma

 One fine December 6, Saint Nicholas went on his annual trek, providing tidbits of good cheer to the down-trodden.  Whistling merrily as he worked, he thought to himself, “Everyone loves my ministry.  Surprises and sweets and all good things I bring!”

He whistled his way around the world, filling shoes set carefully by the door of each home with gold-foiled chocolate coins.  Just to be fair, his bag of treats included dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, and sugar-free sweets.  Good old St. Nick, he kept his eye on modern nutritional issues:  He had covered it all.

Or so he thought, ‘til he reached the home of a teenage girl whose shoes remained firmly on her feet, even as she slept.

She awoke, howling in anger, as he untied her shoes.  “I want to fill them with candy,” he explained.  Her stubborn stare nearly deterred his benevolence.  “I have truly heavenly candy,” he extolled.  “I’ll give you the ones with peanut butter inside,” he enticed.  “What do you care about shoes!  You can’t walk anyway!” he exploded in exasperation.

The girl’s unwavering gaze sliced right through St. Nick’s merry grin.  “I like my shoes.  When I have my shoes on, I might get to go somewhere, to meet someone, to do something,” she told him.  “Even if I can’t walk there,” she added.

Then, as St. Nick’s face registered only confusion, she continued gently, “You never know when a miracle is going to happen.  You have to be watching and ready.”

“So,” St. Nick appraised, “You’d forego the certainty of shoes filled with treats to be ready for the uncertain adventures of life?”

“It’s a brief journey,” she explained, her bright blue eyes never leaving the gray, time-worn eyes of the Saint.  “I’m not about to miss a minute of it.”

The old Saint looked at his bag full of glittering foil-covered chocolate and simulated-chocolate-like-substitutes, and knew she was right.  “Peace be with you,” he said as he carefully re-tied her shoes, in double-knots.

Be watching. Be ready.  Be there.