Embracing The Mystery
January 29, 2009
I’m leaning against a shovel in the backyard, waiting. My two children are crouched in front of me. Serious looks adorn their normally jovial faces. Which is appropriate, given that this is a serious situation. For in front of us is the object of a week’s worth of contemplation, suspense, and puzzlement.
A hole.
Some background: the hole appeared suddenly last Saturday, midway between the oak tree and the creek. The kids took turns trying to figure out exactly what sort of hole it was. Too small for gophers, said my son. And too big for ants, said my daughter. I was brought in for a consultation, but my vote for field mice was quickly shot down. Too boring, they said.
There was a chance, I offered, that the hole had been there all along. That it wasn’t new, but merely overlooked. And that whatever was in there was likely long gone. My son decided to fill the hole, and after much deliberation a consensus was reached. In went handfuls of small rocks and sand.
Upon inspection the next day, the rocks and sand were gone. The hole wasn’t.
This new development sent the children into a mild form of panic, complete with girlish squeals and boyish cries of “Awesome!” Something surely had to be in there. Had to.
In the space of mere moments, the hole in our backyard ceased to be a hole entirely. It was now and utter and complete Mystery.
The tiny but growing minds of my children sprang into action. They tried the scientific approach first. The hole was two inches square (they measured) and eight inches deep (an estimate, given the twig my son shoved into it), at which point it seemed to branch off and run parallel to the yard. Interesting.
Then science gave way to wonder. My son hypothesized that it certainly looked like a dragon hole to him, because he had seen this sort of thing on a cartoon. Then my daughter said that she had recently read a book about fairies, and how fairies lived in the ground sometimes, and how that was just the sort of hole in which a fairy would live. More interesting.
In the end, they put a tiny umbrella over the hole to protect its owner from the elements, along with a piece of cheese as an apology for wrecking its home with rocks and sand.
Mini vigils were instituted. The hole was checked every day before and after school, and a smooth layer of wet sand was placed around it so they could check for tracks. And there were tracks. Indecipherable tracks, but tracks nonetheless. Further proof that something was lurking somewhere. (The piece of cheese, by the way, was left untouched and instead froze into a tiny yellow brick. The apology, it seemed, was not accepted.)
Soon, questions gave rise to concerns. The weatherman said snow was coming. Which, I was informed, was bad for fairies and dragons. Maybe we should take the hole inside and keep it warm, the kids said. A possibility, so long as it really was a fairy hole. We didn’t need any dragons flying around.
What to do?
It was then that I offered my own advice, albeit half-heartedly:
“Let’s just dig up the hole and see what’s in it.”
Naturally, their answer was the exact opposite of what I thought it would be. They agreed.
So, here we stand. At the hole. Ready to put an end to the mystery once and for all. Yet as I raise the shovel for the first dig, I notice that my son is crying. And that the top lip of my normally stoic daughter is quivering.
I smile. What’s wrong? What I wanted to be wrong. What I hoped would be wrong.
They don’t want the mystery to end. Some answers are fine. But all of them? Not so much. Finding out what’s in the hole would end all of the wondering and dreaming. Who wants that?
Life is much more than the finding of facts. It is the wondering of our inherent wonder. This hole is my children’s first sip of the mysterious, and I want them to drink deeply. It will teach them the blessings found in not having to know it all. And that life is not made more frightening by the unknown, just more beautiful.
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24 Responses to “Embracing The Mystery”
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I’m a writer whose first novel, Snow Day, will be published by FaithWords in 2010.
But don’t let that fool you. I’m just as confused as anyone.
And that is fine with me, because the great thing about wandering around in the fog is that you never know what you might run into.
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magnificent.
Wow! That was great, touching, wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
I could actually see those angelic faces. I could feel their wonder.
I know that some people need to have concrete answers to the mystery’s in life. I’m so grateful that God didn’t make my mind that way. When I don’t understand something, I just add it to the list of “what I’m going to ask God when I get to heaven” – that is, after I’m able to stand and speak in his presence! Which is somewhat of a mystery…
A really great story. Thanks.
Beautiful! I love hearing the creative answers of little ones. Thanks for sharing this mysterious vignette. Lori
Beautiful!
Kids are so amazing, but they really reflect all that we think, don’t they?
Great story. Your kids are fantastic.
Hey Billy,
Great piece. I’m featuring this at the HighCalling blogs site on Wednesday.
gordon
I grinned through the entire entry.
Thanks.
You had me worried there for a sec thinking you were going to plow into the whole with a big ole shovel! I, too, was sucked into the mystery and did not want it to end (in a pile of upturned dirt). You are a good storyteller and I enjoyed “listening” to this one.
good
Wonderful story. I think this would make a fantastic children’s book. I know I would love reading it to my kids and I can see the pictures so vividly.
Thanks again,
Jason
Oh. Oh. Oh. “Life is not made more frightening by the unknown, just more beautiful.” God, may our world learn the truth these children know implicitly, that You are Mystery and that is Good.
For me, you captured the whole essence of faith-believing and accepting the mystery of the unknown.
In my 20s, my faith walk was actually more like a “doubt walk.” I spent a lot of time shoveling up dirt as I dug around for truth. In the end, I found truth, not while leaning on a shovel, but while falling on my knees.
Great word-pictures here, Billy. As usual … Thanks for continuing to share your gifts with us.
You’ve done it again
Great story that kept me in wonder all the way through to the end!
AWESOME. I was sure hoping they’d decide to leave it as is too! Wouldn’t want the dragon or fairy to be any more upset since they didn’t accept the first apology! ;0)
We once had a similar hole in our backyard, though it had the marks of having been freshly dug. An hour later, garden hose in the hole and shovel at the ready, we had a young possum playing dead on the lawn (he escaped later when we had our backs turned).
Fear of what might be lurking in the hole made us abandon the wonder of the mystery and flood out an answer. Your story adds a new perspective. Would that we let the wonder linger on just a little more.
Beautifully said. Sometimes it feels like we spend so much time trying to prove “truth” through scientific means, when there is so much truth to the mystery. Your vision of that mystery might not be exactly the same, but the truth is there. In the mystery.
Thank you!
Wonderful writing… you had me right from the first paragraph. What a great story and lesson for life!
I miss those days with my now 19-year-old daughter going on 20 soon and my 18-year old son.
The timing of this story is interesting as just 15 minutes ago my oldest just informed me that her and her best friend will be moving into an apartment together within 11 days. I’m happy for her not because I desire to push her out of the nest, but because I think it is in her best interest and she will grow up a great deal and since next year she’s getting married the growing up will be to both her benefit and her future husband who is a fine you man by the way.
Thanks for sharing this.
Tom Wilson
This is good parenting, Billy, and good writing, too!
Thanks.
Awesome all round!
Wonderful story. Wonderful post.
Jean
23 Comments and no one asked what the heck was in that hole?
Well, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S IN THAT HOLE!!!
(But I’m the curious type…)