The part of Christmas that most people enjoy best is receiving gifts. All of us like a surprise. Last year, my most unexpected gift came from my son: two tickets to the final game in the Canadian World Junior Hockey Tournament held in Buffalo. Unfortunately, Canada gave up a three goal lead to the Russians in the third period to spoil the game but not a memorable time with my son.
My kids also have innovated a weird and wacky twist to Christmas giving…the gag gift. It all began many years ago when my kids gave me an autographed picture of Louie Anderson, a former host of Family Feud, as a Christmas gift. Not being a real fan of his TV game show, the bewildered expression on my face turned to anger when my kids lied that they’d spent $50 for the picture. Everyone struggled to suppress their laughter as they watched my meltdown ensue.
Ever since then, a bizarre array of gifts ranging from leather pants, to Whoopi Goldberg books, to Deep Space 9 posters, to calendars filled with seniors engaging in extreme sports, have added to our Christmas fun. Of course, the best gag gift is the unexpected one, the one that catches not only the receiving party but also everyone else in the family by surprise.
Although it can’t be classified as a gag gift, the discovery of my new tumour last week certainly came as a bit of a surprise. I used the term ‘rogue’ to describe it initially as I wanted to convey my hope that the tumour is an isolated and unwanted vagrant in my body. My cousin, Margaret Ann, a retired English teacher, e-mailed me to say that the word ‘rogue’ can also mean mischievous. In that light, perhaps God does have a sense of humour and my tumour is His idea of a gag gift or attention-getter at Christmas time. As my cousin wrote in her encouraging note,
“I keep thinking that your tumour in not cancerous but that it is ‘rogue’ in the sense of mischievous just to give you one more challenge and to remind you of all that you have learned and are teaching others thus far on your journey.”
On that hopeful note, may I wish all my readers a Merry Christmas. Thank for your faithful prayers and support over these past four months. May God bless you and Santa not forget you.
Mr. Daoust...
ReplyDeleteMy name is Frank and I happened upon your blog recently. Since discovering it, I have taken the time to go through all of your posts and continue to follow regularly.
I graduated from Brebeuf in 2004, but never had the opportunity to have you as my teacher. Even though I was never in your class, we did have a few conversations through lunch period/spares or on random occasions in the hall. The one thing I remember vividly is your infectious, joyful presence throughout the school...your passion for Brebeuf was indisputable.
Going over your posts has reminded me of how much I miss my time at Brebeuf, even though I would never have admitted it while I was there. As you say it is a great community and something we Brebeaufians are all very proud of. In fact, I think I will try to go by and stroll the halls again sometime in the near future...bring back some memories.
Speaking of memories however, the one thing about them is that they are just that...memories...they are in the past, something to learn from, but not something to live upon.
I loved and love my time at Brebeuf, but as all else in life we look onward...although the past shapes us it only does so to this immediate point in time. You refer to yourself as Mike 2.0, but I like to think of myself as Frank 1.x where x is infinite...I am constantly changing, constantly learning and constantly striving for something.
The future on the other hand is based on our strength and will to make it great...in whatever way it is we want to make it great. We make our own "shape."
I will continue reading your blog as it is filled with great lessons and commentary and my best wishes to you for the Christmas season and New Year!