It is generally believed that impressing
God may be the single most difficult task in the
whole of the universe. But, this was the habit of
the people - to try and impress God on this day,
and habits seldom die. They most often hibernate
for short seasons, only to wake up extremely hungry
later.
For months the bustle of activity began early in
the morning, and went late into the night, only
to resume early the next day. It might have appeared
to the uninitiated observer that the season was
all work, and no fun, but most of the people truly
liked their God, and enjoyed doing something for
Him.
Despite the bustle there was joy. In celebration,
the streets sang with the anthems of the season.
Songs of peace, and joy; songs of God's gifts to
mankind; and general songs of gift giving hung on
the air. There were somber dirges, and silly hand-clapping
songs, and all the people knew all the songs, and
sang as they worked on gifts.
The birthday of the Son of God was drawing near,
and the habit of the people was to frantically run
around looking for a gift for God. The frustration
of trying to find a gift for the person who has
everything runs highest when looking for something
to give to God, and this was compounded by the fact
that it was generally acknowledged that once a year
was far too infrequent to be thinking about God.
So in habitual fashion people found the most stressful
ways to accomplish the simplest of tasks. People
searched, and searched. They created, uncreated,
and recreated. Some hunted, and cooked. Some shopped
tirelessly. If "tirefully" was a word
it might be more descriptive of how the people shopped.
They spent large amounts of money which they had
earned by the sweat of their brow. They considered
sacrificing goods, and lands. They scraped together
their resources, and collected their treasures.
Some sat at home and thought hard and long, hoping
to stir their creativity into action. Others scurried
around the town shops looking for that unique thing
which no one else had considered - which of course
does not exist, even though the shops try to persuade
them otherwise.
As in all things which involve God, some considered
the task more seriously than others. Rich men gave
great gifts in the same thoughtless action with
which someone throws a dog table scraps, while other
rich individuals put great thought into their giving.
Poor people gave humble gifts with great sacrifice,
while other poor gave with that hopeless nonchalance
which comes to those who feel they have nothing
to offer. Fame or riches had little influence on
attitudes. The rich and the poor alike had those
among them who gave with abandon, those who gave
carelessly, and in a few cases - those who gave
not at all.
The day drew near, and the frenetic pace increased.
Those who had made their decisions hurried to wrap
their gifts in the most beautiful fashion possible,
because most people considered the wrapping to be
part of the gift. Others who were still struggling
to find something to give, picked up the frenzied
pace of their search.
Meanwhile those who finished the task, brought their
gifts to the city square, and placed them in the
growing pile beneath the great Gift Tree. The pile
soon grew into a mountain of gifts, and the last
people to finish their gift giving dutifully added
to the mountain.
The servants set the Great Seat before the great
Gift Tree, and prepared the city square for the
arrival of God. Each year on the birthday of God's
Son, God Himself would sit before the great Gift
Tree, and open every gift as the people watched
with excitement.
People travelled from distant villages, and the
remote farmlands to join in this grand celebration.
The city was overflowed with humanity. Every inn
was filled. Every park and free space had visitors
setting up tents. People who lived in the city offered
their homes to travelers, and the city filled up
until their was no more room.
On the morning of the birthday of God's Son the
people began to gather at the city square. Every
person attending had placed their gift beneath the
great Gift Tree on the previous days, except for
a few who brought theirs early that morning, and
the workmen were gracious enough to place those
late gifts beneath the tree despite the deadline
being passed.
As the time for the arrival of God drew near the
crowd pressed in closer. People poured in from all
quarters of the city, and everyone tried to get
close enough to see everything. A noisy din of joy
and nervousness filled the square with growing anticipation.
All at once, as if on cue, the noisy crowd silenced.
From somewhere behind the Great Seat God entered
and took His place, and as He sat, all at once the
crowd responded as one with a deafening cheer. God
had come to sit among humans, and for this moment
peace on earth was theirs.
As the cheer subsided, the opening of the gifts
ceremoniously began. With no small degree of pomp,
the servants brought the gifts forward to the Great
Seat one at a time. People are often given to pomp
where God is involved, and the astute observer might
have noticed that the pomp did not impress God.
Yet with significant pomp the gifts arrived one
by one. Horns blew, banners waved, men in uniform
saluted, and at the arrival of every gift, whether
ornate or plain, small or large, all the people
clapped and cheered. Everyone hoped their own gift
would be appreciated, and in deference to one another,
each person had the habit of supporting every other.
Holidays have always been good for making humans
polite for a day.
From the beginning to end, as the gifts were opened,
God first looked up to see the face of the giver
of the gift. Magically as God looked up, every eye
would follow His, and in unison with God the crowd
would gaze upon the face of the giver.
When God looked at a giver, it came with a gentle
acceptance which seemed to envelope them, and for
weeks following the people would talk about the
moment God looked at them, and them alone. For some
givers this was quite unnerving, and they would
shrink back in embarrassment. Others were genuinely
excited to have God's attention for that moment,
and would jump up and down like children at the
fair. Others still enjoyed their own importance,
and played to the crowd with deep bows, or pompous
waves. The crowd cheered all the same for every
giver, and God gave the same gracious nod to all.
Though it must be admitted there were a few times
when the crowd might have enjoyed seeing a good
dressing down given to the more ostentatious individuals.
Yet knowing that we all deserve correction on some
point or another, the people were relieved at God's
quiet forbearance toward even the most obnoxious.
It happened this way every year, and God would begin
to open the gifts, and would do so all through the
day, and far into the night. The audience would
stand and watch seldom loosing attention, hypnotized
by the presence of their God and the excitement
of the moment.
The packages which were set on the lap of God ranged
from exquisite beauty to plain simplicity. The crowd
would clap politely, or oh and ah depending upon
the wrapping. Then a great hush made time slow down
in the city square as God unwrapped each gift.
Large and small amounts of money were given marked
with directed purposes - such as "improvements
upon the Temple of God." Rich people gave lands
and houses, or boats, or carriages.
Animals were unwrapped from large decorated crates.
Exotic creatures such as giraffe, emu, and crocodiles
were given, at which the crowd would roar with approval,
and there were race horses, and big horned sheep
too. The people would titter quietly among themselves
when the occasional peculiar pet might be unwrapped
such as a snake, or a rat. Yet they all clapped
politely nonetheless, because it is considered wise
to be polite when standing in front of God.
Handmade crafts and art works were unwrapped - some
purchased in town shops, and others made at home.
Stained glass, handmade robes with beaded work and
fine lace, jewelry of silver and gold with precious
stones, leather work, wood carvings, basket weaving,
handknitting, sculptures, and paintings began to
fill the area around the Great Seat among the animals
and other gifts.
Gifts were beautiful, and gifts were humble and
plain. They were of great value, and nearly no measurable
value except to the giver, and perhaps to God. All
the gifts small and grand filled the Great Seat
like the hoarded treasure of the ancient dragons
of legend. The mound around the throne sparkled,
and made farm noises, and fell all about the feet
of God.
All day, and into the evening gifts were presented
to God, but the people never tired of clapping and
cheering, but gave their support through every opening,
and every gift no matter how exquisite or humble.
At last it appeared that the end had come and there
were no more gifts to open. The mountain beneath
the great Gift Tree was gone, and the servants stood
at attention. The people relaxed and felt the tiredness
which comes when a long day of excitement has ended,
and in their hearts they prepared to call an it
end to the fine day.
But God did not appear to be finished.
God looked to the great Gift Tree and motioned.
The servants scuttled about in a frenzy. The chief
servant addressed his lieutenants, and they rushed
about trying to look busy, without exactly being
sure what to do. At last one of the servants found
a gift behind the Gift Tree. It somehow went unnoticed,
almost as if it had been purposely hidden from view.
The servants hurriedly brought the gift to God in
same pomp, although slightly disorganized and embarrassed,
and set the last gift upon His lap. It was a plain
box, wrapped in nondescript paper, and a crinkled
bow.
The people gathered themselves together for this
last gift, and managed a scattered and polite clap
despite already being at home in bed in their minds.
God looked up to see the person whose final, simple
gift this was, and the eyes of the crowd rolled
as one around the city square as God searched the
people. From front to back, and right to left every
head moved in unison slowly in search of this gift's
giver. Once around the square they looked, and then
a second time. Never before, and never since had
anyone remembered a moment quite like this. It seemed
as though God Himself had a difficult time discovering
the giver of this last, simple gift.
Finally, all the eyes fell just slightly to right
of the Great Seat near the center, and a short ways
back from the front. It was in that area which only
the most determined stand, because it required an
early arrival, or a zealous press to the front to
arrive so close to the the Great Seat, and near
enough to see everything as it happened. Standing
among the givers, and doing her best to hide behind
the taller men was the woman who gave this last,
simple gift. The crowd parted as much as they could,
and all eyes fell on the final giver.
To this day, no one remembers who she was. She was
the kind of person who is often overlooked, and
whose name is seldom spoken. She was not young,
but she was not old. She was not tall, and she was
not short. Her hair was not quite blond, but not
quite brown. No one could recount if she was pretty,
or if she was plain. The colors or style of her
clothing were not remarkable. She had the look of
someone with little money who cared for her things
well, and did her best with what little she had.
As the eyes of the crowd bore down upon her, she
bowed her head and her hair tumbled around her face.
Her eyes darted quickly about in the manner of someone
who is desperately uncomfortable with so much attention.
She somehow seemed to hide even with every eye on
her.
The gentle acceptance which flowed from the face
of God caressed her as it did all the givers, and
she relaxed just a bit. God turned his face to the
gift, and it seemed to the people that time slowed
down nearly to a stop.
The plain gift wrapping was pulled back, and the
box was opened, and inside the box was a simple
blanket. It did not carry the marks of an artisan
with fancy cabled rows, garter stitches, or the
favorite to give to God - Tree of Life pattern.
It was the long, painful work of a unskilled handknitter
who had done her best with a simple blanket.
God unfolded the blanket and paused. When God pauses,
short moments seem to last for ages.
The crowd held their breath.
The giver of the simple gift blinked a few times
with her large questioning eyes, as she looked up
and out from behind her fallen hair. Does He not
like it? Why does He pause so? Water welled up in
her eyes as it does when one's heart falls low in
the breast, but no one saw it. Everyone had their
eyes fixed on God.
Slowly God raised His head. He looked into the face
of the giver of this last simple gift, and something
happened which had not been seen in a thousand years.
The crowd moaned, and shrieked, and gasped, and
shouted all at once in a din of confusion. From
the face of God a light broke out, and no one could
look. Every face turned away, or hid its eyes behind
its hands. People fell to the ground. Others grimaced
in the kind of pain which occurs when the curtains
are opened at the break of day, and you've just
been roused from a dead sleep. Everyone hid their
eyes in a sudden involuntary impulse, and could
not bare to face the face of God. Everyone except
the giver of this last simple gift.
She looked up at a light so bright she could not
stand to look, and yet irresistibly she was drawn
to it. It was one of those magic moments in which
you can not bare to look, but you can not bare to
look away. The screams of the crowd receded to the
background, and were no nearer than the far off
sound of the waves splashing on the shore on a still
night. The face of God drew close to hers, and yet
neither He nor she moved a pace. Nothing else was
visible to her, but the face of God alone, and there,
in that moment it filled her world, and enveloped
her with warmth. She saw upon His face was that
which had not been seen in public in a thousand
years. It was that which people say is more revealing
than the full moon on a clear night, and more piercing
than the shining of a thousand suns at midday. It
was the face of God in full smile.
The bright light faded away, and the crowd began
to look up slowly, one person at a time. God remained
upon the Great Seat, but the woman who gave the
simple gift was nowhere to be found, and the crowd
wondered at her disappearance. A murmur rose from
among them, and they began to question, and chatter
like those little birds who hop among the branches
of the hedgerows. Quite quickly gossip was passed
from person to person. God appeared quite content,
but the woman was conspicuously missing.
Rumors circulate far a wide to this day. Some say
she dared to look at the face of God and died. Some
say He simply took her. Others say she ran away
during the brightness, and lives fearfully, and
in seclusion among them still. As to her whereabouts
no one truly knows, and God did bother to answer
their questions. He simply sat contented with the
glow of His smile gently receding.
The noise eventually settled, and the gossiping
crowd began to disperse, but God paid no attention
to their bewilderment. He simply looked down to
the unwrapped blanket on His lap.
This was was the gift God loved best. Inside the
simple blanket was a beating heart.
