Copyright 2010 by Bradley Davidson

Faith

by

 Bradley Davidson

He always enjoyed venturing into the big city downtown during Christmas time to do some shopping, as he said, but really to just soak in the season’s spirit with the bustling crowds and festive decorations.  As a kid he was always delighted with the department stores’ animated window scenes with figures working and playing and trains running around.  As an adult he tried to capture that same magic feeling but realized some of the figures were the same ones, just a bit older and slower and a little more careful in their movements, as was he.  One grand memory of his youth was visiting the monstrous Christmas tree in the rotunda of the City of Paris store and wondering how they got it into the store and remembering something about the roof opening.  On every floor one could see the intricate decorations adorning the branches and there was always some top ornament that made him think about the meaning of Christmas.

The City of Paris store is no more, but they saved parts of the rotunda and built it into the new store that took its place and continue to put an oversized tree in the middle of the store this time of year.  He gazed at the ornaments and worked his way to the top where a marvelous star capped the festive compilation.  He gazed at that light that emanated and reflected from it and thought about baby Jesus and his whole story and marveled at what that story had become.  He wondered how that was possible and settled on the fact so many people had faith.  Then he wondered how that was possible.

His faith had originated as a child and was told to him by his parents and other authoritative adults just as the Santa Claus story was told to him as truth.  Santa eventually fell by the wayside, but the story of Jesus Christ remained as everyone around him did not flinch or show doubt or even begin to look like they questioned their faith in Jesus or the Holy Father.  Then life set in and an awareness of world events, and his experiences increased and he wondered how such an omnipotent, benevolent and loving God could cause so many people to suffer throughout the world in floods and famine and earthquakes and at the hands of each other.  Reasons and justifications abounded, but he wondered all the same and questioned his faith.  He wondered if the unchallenged faith of youth was just as good as a questioned faith and what faith was needed to step off a tall building knowing in your soul He would catch you or at least everything would be okay.  He doubted he could take that step.

His eyes wandered from the hypnotizing star that had pulled all his attention and he looked around at the hustle and bustle of the people performing their parts in this seasonal play.  He saw everyone as children all believing in a Santa Claus story.  Yet the earnestness and sincerity he saw in peoples’ actions and in their faces ultimately convinced him he did have faith.  He had faith in people, that they would ultimately do the right thing more times than not and they would do more good than harm to each other and the world, and everything actually would be okay.  This made him feel good, secure, connected.  Without hesitation and quite willingly, he took a step into the crowd.  

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