Believe

At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I have grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.

           ~ From The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

On a recent vacation day, I took Jack to see “The Polar Express” in 4D. 

Our seats shook as the train hurtled across glaciers.  We smelled simmering chocolate when the onscreen children sipped hot cocoa.  And Jack nearly tipped out of his seat with excitement when snow flew through the theater, a dose of the North Pole on Charleston Harbor.

“Is this real?” he kept whispering, his senses overloaded as he squeezed my hand.

“Do you believe it’s real?” I whispered back.

“I think Santa can make anything happen,” he said, eyes wide as reindeer pawed the sky.

On the brink of turning six, Jack’s belief is entirely whole and potent.  A nearly palpable halo hovering in the darkness of the theater.  It cradled the two of us in that moment, holding hands and holding space for all of the possibilities Santa provides.