Alfie Lyrics
Every year around Christmas time, I pull out my "John Denver and the Muppets" cd (well, cd now - used to be my 8-track!). And every year, every time I listen to the Alfie the Christmas Tree poem, it makes me cry.
So I'm looking at the lyrics a little differently this year.
Oh, Alfie believed in Christmas alright
He was full of Christmas cheer
All of each and every day
And all throughout the year
To him it was more than a special time
Much more than a special day
It was more than a special story, it was more than a beautiful story
It was a special kind of way
Yuletide is more than once a year. That feeling that you get as you're counting the days until the rebirth of the God, that anticipation that He will come and chase away the darkness of winter. That His light and warmth will reawaken you, stirring the inner Divinity within you, and allow you to blossom into the springtime of your soul.
This is a time when neighbors help neighbors. This is a time to help your fellow man, even if you don't know who he is. But why should these feelings and thoughts occur only once a year? Why aren't we doing what we can all year to help those who are less fortunate then ourselves? It's appropriate at Christmastime, it's expected at Christmastime. But why not the rest of the year?
The Wise Men brought gifts to the Christ child, to annoint Him as their King. Befana brings presents to all the good Italian children. We give gifts to honour that spark of Divinity inside our fellow man. We don't give gifts and expect anything in return. That's not the "reason for the season". By my giving you a gift, I am honouring you. I honour the spirit within you, the spark of Divine inside you. We are all Gods and Goddesses in training. And we all have the light of the God and Goddess inside us. By honouring you, I am honouring them.
You see some folks have never heard a jingle bell ring
And they've never heard of Santa Claus
They've never heard the story of the Son of God
That made Alfie pause
Did that mean that they'd never know of peace on earth
Or the brotherhood of man
Or know how to love, or know how to give
If they can't no one can
Just because you don't believe that Jesus was born through a Virgin birth and is the Son of God, doesn't mean that this special time of year is meaningless to you. It's hard not to get swept up in the rush-rush-rush of the holiday season, buying presents for the sake of having something to put in the stocking, under the menorah, or under the tree. But again, it's not limited to those who believe that Jesus was born on December 25th as the Son of God. Everyone, at any time of year, is capable of knowing the joy of giving, and receiving. Everyone must know the feeling of giving out of love, rather than obligation. It's only then that you give a gift "truly".
I give you a gift because I love you. I don't give you a gift because I want that new Xbox game. I don't give you a gift because you gave me one last year. I give you a gift because when I walked past it, it screamed out your name. I give you a gift because you are a special person in my life, and it's the one time of year that I can give you a token, a trinket, to show you that. Other times of the year, it's ackward. I give you a gift because you are a special person to me, and you have given me gifts all year that, while you cannot touch, are no less meaningless. You gave me your time, knowledge, strength and wisdom.
You see, life is a very special kind of thing
Not just for a chosen few
But for each and every living, breathing thing
Not just me and you
So when you're at Christmas prayers this year
Alfie asked me if I'd ask you
Say a prayer for the wind and the water and the wood
And those who live there too
There's spirit in all things. Streghe call this the "numen" of the thing. It's that spark of life, the spark of Divinity, that resides inside everything. It's what links us to the trees in the forests, the fish in the ocean, the animals in the jungle, the rocks on the ground. And we must honour the spirit of the item, for in honouring that spirit, we honour our God and Goddess. And we also honour ourselves, as the same energy that runs through the rocks runs through each of us.
