His 14th Christmas Changed His Life

It’s minutes to Christmas.  As you all head off to your celebrations and traditions, I wanted to leave you with a little Christmas fable from all of us here at Loving the Bike.  May you have the best holiday season ever….and may you all wake up with a new bike under the tree.

His 14th Christmas Changed His Life

It was December 24, about 11:30pm and like most boys my age, my thoughts were fixed on the video games, CDs, and Comic Books that I could expect to open in the morning.  I thought of how much fun I’d have absorbing myself in video games and music….to the oblivion of the Family Christmas events going on around me.

For some reason I reflected back on all the great video game memories I had held inside me since my last Christmas…..High Score in this game, Personal Best in the other, and the awe over the new and improved graphics found in my games.  As I looked back, I also thought of the Family dinners I had skipped out on because I was too wrapped up in my game…. Missing out on football games with my friends because I was trying to reach a new high score…..and developing a better relationship with my TV then with any human I could think of.

These thoughts hit me hard, and as I soaked it all in….my excitement over Christmas…and Games…and Candy vanished, and I was left with an emptiness that filled my soul.  My heart started to pound, my body started to tingle…..”WHY THE HECK IS A 14 YEAR OLD BOY THINKING THESE THINGS?” I thought to myself.  I felt as though my whole electronic world was crashing down in an instant.

I lay crying in my bed wishing I would fall asleep, never to wake up again.  That was the last thing I remember until awaking Christmas morning with the touch of my Mom’s kiss on my cheek.  Whereas in the past, I would have brushed that kiss off with a grumble….I welcomed it with a glow that almost sent my Mom flying to the floor.  “Someone’s excited about Christmas” She Replied.  “Not Christmas Mom………Life”   I exclaimed.  “Every Day Is A New Life To A Wise Man” I mentioned to her, and went on to say that “this wise man is starting today to create a better life”.

With an energy that I’ve only known my electronic fighting action figures to have in my video games, I rushed down the stairs to where my entire Family sat gathered in the living room.  Instead of racing past them on my way down to the basement to sit in front of my TV, I joined them….Laughing, Talking, Loving.  A New High Score…I thought to myself, but I knew that what I had discovered would not fade away with the click of a power button.  What I found myself in was a game of Life that I had total power over.  Power to make it the best I could possibly imagine.

I received some great gifts that day, but the greatest gift of a lifetime came from ME.  Maybe it was the spirit of Christmas….maybe the spirit of Life.  Whatever it was, it changed me in a way I had never thought possible.  That night I broke down and cried again, but this time it was tears of total happiness.  I pledged to myself that I would never misplace my priorities.  I would always look for kindness first.  I would immerse myself in Life.  I would share my humanity with everyone around me.

May all the goodness of Christmas remain in your soul for a lifetime.  May all the commercialism of this Season be overshadowed by Christmas Spirit.  And may all of you follow a positive lifestyle with growth, wisdom, kindness, and Love.