Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. ~Clement Clarke Moore
Our Christmas present from our friends overseas had been sitting in customs for a long time. How long you might ask? We just received our gifts on May 4.
Filled with relief that the shipment hadn't been lost, we cut the ties and ripped open the cardboard box. Though the room was filled with the heat of the sunny May day, it might as well have been a snowy Christmas morning. I couldn't wait to see what treasures were waiting for me inside!
My heart stopped dead as I lifted a box that was clearly an inappropriate thing for me to be receiving. My husband, smirking, (thank God for his sense of humor) said, “Maybe it's just a funny box to hide something else inside?”
I opened. Revealed. “Nope.”
Shaken, but not stirred – I continued. The next box was even more embarrassing. It HAD to be a joke. No one could honestly send that??? I opened the box, wide-eyed. My husband took out the instructions, searching for some word or picture that would clear our confusion.
I took it back from him. Reboxed. “Nope.”
The final straw was a third item – that seemed like a stuffed toy that, hmmm.... seemed to fit the theme of the previous two gifts.
My emotions went from shock, to humor, to confusion, to humor, to anxiety, to irritation.
My husband (thank God for his sense of calm) kept telling me it was probably some misunderstanding. For the life of me, I couldn't see how THOSE three gifts could possibly be a misunderstanding.
That night – we all talked. I thanked them for the gifts, and then..... gently asked who chose which gifts.
And this is why context is important. You didn't think I was going to get to this week's Drop in the Ocean topic, did you? We have arrived.
I won't tell you the details, because it's not important. I will say this. We laughed almost to the point of passing out – for twenty minutes. All of us.
After a few gentle questions from me, they stated the answers without a hint of mischief. Language barriers and cultural barriers are very real. When I hinted at the fact that Americans see at least one of the gifts in a slightly different light, the giggles began. Giggles then turned into side-splitting laughter in a matter of of seconds when I explained the American connotation of the gift.
I know that you want to know.... but I'm not going to tell you. I'm shaking with laughter as I type this but the point is CONTEXT.
It is so important to step back from situations and understand the context of a situation before reacting. Hastily made judgments serve no one. It is always best to hear both sides of the story before coming to your own conclusion. This principle applies in many situations and in almost every aspect of your life. Take the time to pause. Be willing to laugh and have grace. Use understanding and wisdom as you investigate matters. The context should always be considered before you weigh the evidence.
No, I'm still not telling. For those that do know, laugh with me and be silent, please. (you know who you are)