The
Window Shoppe Stories
Remember
The man
hurried from store to store looking for that last item. He wasn't
sure what it was, but he would know when he saw it. It was that
final piece to the artwork puzzle that was his holiday display.
Nothing he found seemed to fit, and he was growing a little angry
with the crowds he had to plow through to get from place to place.
As he walked
through the mall fighting against the tide of shoppers, he noticed a
small shop tucked between two trendy clothing shops. What he noticed
were the windows, all types of windows, and next to what appeared to
be a window set in a wall covered in white vinyl siding was an old
plastic Santa. One foot raised and half way into a plastic chimney,
a bag of gifts slung over one shoulder, his hand raised in a wave to
all who would walk by. Strings of lights hung around the window and
blinked in a random cadence seeming to draw his footsteps toward the
little shop. He was not sure why, but he let his feet lead him.
A woman stood
by the window cleaning the glass, “Do you sell Christmas
decorations here?” the man asked, not able to take his eyes from
the cheerful looking Santa. “Oh, no” the store keeper replied
with a smile on her face “but feel free to look around. The chairs
are comfortable, and you look like you could use a little rest.”
Surprisingly
the man smiled back and began to look around the shop. He hadn't
noticed how many other windows were set in walls that seemed
scattered through the space. Each was unique and varied as widely as
the wall that held them. They all had a chair placed next to them.
Some were filled, others stood empty. The man thought it strange
that the people sitting in the chairs seemed to be staring through
those windows lost in thought or watching. But what could they be
watching in an empty window.
Finally the
man's feet began to complain and he sat down in the chair next to the
window that had drawn him into the shop. He looked at the Santa
through the glass, wondering what it was that had drawn his attention
so fully. His feet were glad but his mind buzzed with thoughts. Why
was he wasting his time sitting here? Since he couldn't buy the
Santa he should just move on.
As he
continued to gaze out this little window on the world, the scene that
it showed began to change. A porch appeared, the railing hung with
garlands, wreaths hung from the roof between the pillars, their
lights twinkling in the twilight. They had a familiar feel, almost
like he had seen this all before. As he looked further he saw trees
with their branches wrapped in colored lights, inflated decorations
filled the lawn. Flying reindeer pulling a sleigh, snowmen in globes
with blowing snow. Even the Grinch took center stage. And there off
to the side was the plastic Santa.
“Remember”,
he heard as if someone whispered in his ear. The man looked around
and found he was no longer in the chair, but part of the scene. He
was adjusting the last of the decorations on the lawn when he heard
it again, “Remember Christmas”.
“Do you
remember Christmas?” the plastic Santa said as he pulled his not so
plastic leg from the chimney next to him. As he walked closer he
became less and less plastic and more real with each step. “Why of
course I remember Christmas” the man stammered. Was he losing his
mind? How could this plastic Santa be talking to him? Wasn't he
sitting in a chair in a little shop in the mall? He was in a hurry,
he needed to move on.
Santa removed
his hat as a young boy, looking disheveled and alone, walked along
the side of the road in front of the man's house. Santa place his
hat on the young man's head and it became a warm stocking cap to help
keep out the cold. The young man pulled it down over his ears. He
did not notice the symbol of a King on the cap, but he walked a
little taller, a hint of a smile on his face.
“Remember
those who have no one else to remember them”, St. Nicholas said as
he watched the boy walk out of sight.
“Do you
remember Christmas?” St. Nicholas said again, “Of course I do”,
the man answered again not quite so certain this time. St. Nicholas
reached down and removed his boots and reverently placed them next to
a rifle bayoneted into the ground topped with a soldier's helmet.
Several men knelt on one knee by the makeshift memorial, their heads
bowed in silent prayer for the brother they had lost. Father
Christmas placed a hand on each of their heads as if to offer a
blessing.
“Remember
the sacrifice of others” Father Christmas said as each man in turn
stood and returned to their duty. They too did not notice the symbol
of a king on the boots, but their backs were straight and strong.
They knew they had work to do, they stood against the storm, the
keepers of the keep.
“Do you
remember Christmas?” Father Christmas asked a third time. The man
looked down, not sure what to say. Shame filled his voice as he said
“I may have forgotten”. Father Christmas removed his coat and
placed it on the shoulders of a young woman holding her newborn child
close to her to keep him warm. The woman's husband walked over and
put his hand on the woman's shoulder as they began to walk away, a
smile moved on their lips the symbol of the King emblazoned on the
arms of the coat, a look of hope in their eyes that had not been
there before.
“Remember
the lives of all are precious” the carpenter said as he watched the
family walk away. The man somehow knowing that this family would come
out of their trials stronger than they ever were. The man was also
beginning to see.
“Remember
the colors of Christmas. Red for the blood shed on your behalf.
White for the purity of love our Father has for you. Green for the
hope of rebirth and renewal. Blue for the royalty that we all can
achieve.”
“Do you
remember Christmas?” The Savior asked, holding out his hands for
the man to see. “Do you remember a child born in Bethlehem, a gift
from your father to the whole world? You made a choice to come to
this life, to forget all that you knew. To make choices, to make
mistakes, to learn in a way that you never could before. You knew
the pure Love of God, you need to learn to love purely.”
“Remember My
blood that was shed for you because I love you. Remember Christmas,
so you remember Me.”
The man
started as he found himself back in his chair, the scene in the
window fading like a memory. Standing from the chair, the man knew
what he needed to do, he needed to keep this memory alive. He needed
to share his memories of Christmas.
As he made to
leave, the young woman walked up to him with the plastic Santa in her
hands. “This is for you”, she said. “But I thought you didn't
sell decorations” he said. “I am not selling it, it is a gift.
Have a Merry Christmas”. “Thank you”, the man said “Thank
you very much”. He took the offered gift, the plastic reminder and
made his way out into the bustling crowd, looking with renewed eyes
and a broad smile on his face. His Christmas display was now
complete.
He would
remember!
