“Please Pass the Nose!” A Holiday Story
By Kathleen A. Matchunis, CPC
My dad used to always tell the story of when he was a young boy and his parents had invited Uncle Walter for Christmas. His parents told him, “Now whatever you do, remember don’t mention Uncle Walter’s large nose.” Trying to be very obedient, he repeated to himself, “Don’t say anything about the nose,” over and over again.
Well, all the relatives arrived for Christmas dinner and my dad, who was around five years old at the time, greeted all of them appropriately, including Uncle Walter. Of course, all he could notice was Uncle Walter’s nose! It was as if he had no other facial features. He could hardly look at him without thinking about his prominent nose.
The dinner began with everyone saying grace and the meal began. My dad happened to be seated next to Uncle Walter, of course. All the food was homemade and delicious. My father noticed that he didn’t have a roll, so he decided to ask for one. He turned to his uncle and before he knew it, he said, “Please pass the nose.” He quickly corrected himself but everyone had a good laugh, including Uncle Walter.
The reason I like this story is that our holiday dinners don’t have to be perfect. Even though the preparation can be long, it is so worth having these get-togethers for the memories which we make. We create stories that can be passed down from generation to generation, giving children a sense of the history of their families.
We should treasure the few opportunities that we have to get together with our families and show tolerance for our differences, rather than allowing them to keep us apart. What a wonderful lesson for children to see adults get along who have different points of view, but who still cherish the bond of family.
Use this holiday time to show your children how to respect and get along with some of those family members who you consider a bit “different”. Encourage tolerance of others in this very egocentric age. Create beautiful memories by forgoing your need to be right in discussions and recognizing every one’s value in the family. You will be glad that you did!
Original content by Kathleen Matchunis, Certified Life Coach