Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Surprise party


Buried deep in the back of my van, in a pile of plastic bags stuffed with clothes, shoes and other soon-to-be Salvation Army donations is a toy reindeer that poops candy.  It was the gift I received at the white-elephant Christmas exchange for the freshman girls small group I lead.  Accompanying the smiling plastic reindeer was a small packet of hard candy pellets.   The reindeer, when gently pushed on the back, would emit a jaunty jingling of winter bells while depositing his sweet pellet offering.

One person in my family can’t imagine why I would want to give this away.

I loaded these many donation bags in my van several days ago thinking I would drop them off that very day.  But a full schedule and biting wind chill have caused me to procrastinate. 

Now, whenever I make a sharp turn or hit a bump – and there are many of these on the uneven country roads I drive – the buried reindeer’s jingle bells play.  And for a moment each time, driving by the slow-melting effulgence of snow-covered fields, my everyday travels feel like a festive adventure.

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