The Perfect Pine Cone

To an outsider, it may sound like a rude and callous event, most definitely not in the spirit of the Season of Light; but for the three who taught in elementary schools, it was simply a release in every connotation of the word.  

While we can’t remember just when the first Pine cone party took place it went without saying that it was always on the eve of the last day of school prior to Christmas, or as is now deemed more politically correct, “Winter Holiday”.

Except for Lurlene and Lushious, the remaining Two-Bits were all teachers and while bein’ a teacher in an off month is not easy,  it goes without sayin’ that in December, second graders hopped up on cookies and peppermint sticks, sugar plum fairy dust and Santa are more like ping pong balls than anything human. 

 

But that bein' said, on the last day of school, as tradition would have it, each Two-Bit- Teena-Teacher was honored with a display of Winter Holiday appreciation.  Their desks runneth over with tokens of gratitude that almost inevitably had, “To or For Teacher” engraved, stitched, etched, or on occasion actually burned onto its surface.    It was as if a teacher couldn’t appreciate that which didn’t have her profession or even more perplexing, an apple emblazoned on it.  Now I ask you, when was the last time you received a gift (Mom’s excluded) that was addressed to your profession?   Exactly....point made.

But be that as it may, it came to pass that on the eve of the last day of school, the Two-Bit Teachers would “re-wrap” selected gifts and we; the rude, heartless and yet celebratory, would draw numbers as in a “Thieves Christmas/Winter Holiday” Gift Exchange.  The competition (fueled by a few good margaritas) was fierce and at times raucous as we fought more for the most re-usable gift bag  that must, by rule, (and there were many)  go with the “stolen/selected” gift.    It is also important to add that also included in this Devil's mess were a few well selected items that each of us knew the other would covet, sharpening both our sense of selection and our deduction skills.

And so it was that I;  number 3 on round 3 and frustrated because all the good bags were gone, selected a little bundle of what appeared to be discarded tissue paper.  Only the single piece of green curly ribbon indicated that there may be more to this hapless bundle than met the eye.  The translucent white paper gave way easily to expose a single brown pine cone, unadorned by glitter or faux snow. It was simply, a perfect pine cone.

For just a moment the laughter and the cajoling stopped and each of us felt something akin to a spark that in turn ignited a greater light that seemed to fill the room and our heart.  No one remembered receiving that pine cone, nor did they remember rewrapping it during the confusion that was typical of the last day of school before Christmas/Winter Holiday.  

But there it was, a perfect and simple reminder that in this whirlwind that has become Christmas/Winter Holiday, this season that has been altered to seduce us into wanting instead of giving, getting instead of receiving, there are still wonders and miracles about us…unadorned and waiting to be found.   

I know I speak on behalf of the Two-Bit-Teena’s and all of us here in The Friendly Village in hoping that you find yours during this season of Christmas/Winter Holiday/Hanukkah/Solstice/Diwali/Yule/Sadeh/Koleda and so on.  

Love and Light

Lurlene

Note:  The Pine cone Party tradition continues and has morphed into a “Jingle Bell Swap”.  It remains irreverent and raucous requiring a “game on attitude” a cunning strategy and at least one Whitman’s Christmas Sampler.