Freedom

  Freedom

A Children’s Story

Rev. Dr. Wilfredo J. Baez

July 3, 2011

It happened one Christmas day.  Santa Claus had placed a little toy doll inside the child’s Christmas stocking.  That little doll had a precious name, “Freedom.”

All Christmas morning that Christmas stocking hung on the mantle over the fireplace.  The child didn’t even see it. 

The first thing the child saw when he awoke was the Christmas tree.  It had changed overnight.  Underneath it and all around it were Christmas presents in packages of every imaginable size and shape.   One present stood out from all the others, as it wasn’t wrapped, a shiny red tricycle.   Because it was cold and snowing outside he couldn’t take it outside, but he rode it up and down the hallway, until it was time to go to the Christmas program at the church.  When he returned he road it up and down the hallway.

His mom took down the stocking from the mantle and emptied its contents on the table.  First, a ball with jacks.  The boy immediately began playing jacks with his mother.  Then, a jar with bubbles; He removed the cap, took the wand to his lips and began blowing.  Then, a jump rope; he took the jump rope and began jumping.  By the time he was done looking at his presents and playing with them he was tired and took a nap.  The little doll, “Freedom,” remained on the table.  His mom took the doll in her hands and said to her husband, “He didn’t even look at Freedom.”  She took the doll and placed it beside the boy’s pillow as he napped.

In the days to come the boy hardly noticed “Freedom.” It would end up next to the bed on the floor, under the covers and under the bed, but every night his parents would find Freedom and place him beside their child’s pillow as he fell asleep.

Years went by.  The boy grew up to be a young man.  It was time for him to go to college.  That tricycle became a bicycle and now a car.  The little jack ball, become a pinkie, a softball, a baseball, a basketball, a soccer ball and basketball.  The bubbles became a trombone.  He was packing his bags with the things he’d be moving to his college dorm.  His eyes fell upon “Freedom.”  All those years, “freedom” has been there, first on his bed, then his dresser, and lately on a shelf next to his trophies.  He picked up Freedom, wrapped him in a soft cloth, and placed it in his bag.  Freedom would be joining him on his journey.