A Baker's Dozen of Christmas What-Ifs

Light In Everybody

The Twelve Prompts of Christmas - Prompt #7

Sometimes the best advice comes from a child.  In this case, it comes from a nine year-old child.  This kid has prompted you to begin a new and cherished Christmas tradition.

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"Dee-Ann!!!!!"

A little boy was hurtling towards me, colliding in a big, twirling hug.

"Hey Josiah!"

"Dee-Ann! Dee-Ann!" More high voices pierced the muggy tropical afternoon.

In Fiji it was approaching the Summer months. We were getting ready for the Christmas holidays. Especially, the "Break-Up" party, when all the Island staff leave to spend the holiday weeks on their home islands, with extended family.

Right now, a flock of little spindly-legged kids was jostling around me, each one reaching for their sweaty hug or handshake. The sight of their shining eyes and love-filled faces always made my day.

"Dee-ann, danisi?" A shy girl was sucking on a finger while tugging at my skirt. Dancing?

For the past three years, I had been giving the kids dancing lessons. It was mostly tumbling, with some jazz warm-ups done to relatable world music. Then, once the teeny-tinies were all worn out, I would bring up the Music for Ballet Class CD, and the big kids, aged seven to twelve, would stay behind for an extra half-hour of ballet.

And they took their ballet lessons very seriously. After the first year, I got a sponsor for matching leotards. Then a donation of old ballet costumes from a mom back in the U.S. But when I introduced a shopping bag full of of old canvas ballet slippers and black no-show socks, the deal was sealed. I now hauled a backpack full of dancewear to and from the Fijian village every Saturday, bringing a strange and wonderful new art form to these lovely kids.

"Joanna, go ring the school bell, to call the others.  Girls, could you draw the curtains please? Boys, I need you to push the desks and chairs back against the wall." I put the kids to work transforming the school room into a ballet studio.

While I set up the sound system, I hummed to myself. I was in the holiday spirit, and a little song had been taking shape in my head.

"What you're singing? You like singing?" I glanced up, to see Josaiah fiddling with the speaker. But he was watching me closely. At nine years old, Josaiah was one of the older kids. He was a creative one. Always inventing gymnastic combinations, and always a little dyslexic when the time came to remember them. But his curiosity was unstoppable.

"Yes, I like singing. I was just humming a song."

"What song?

"It's something new, for Christmas. For the celebration of Light In Everybody. I made it up while I was at the peace fire last night." Twice a week I took my shift at the world-prayer site where a perpetual fire is kept burning as a focus for prayers for world-peace. Often, in the late dusk, I would be moved to add a melody to the insect thrum and the crackle of the fire.

"Sing it to me." Josaiah's curiosity was written in his posture, eyes wide, head tilted to one side.

I chuckled. "Okay, but it's not finished." I cleared my throat.

Light in everybody! All at heart are one!

Deep within, there shines the brightest sun!