“ChristmasDayintheMorning”:Lovealonecanwakenlove2011-06-04Thisarticletellsthestorywhichtakesplaceonthe"Christmasmorningthisyear",consistingofthreeparts.Inthefirstpart,Rob,thehero,“wokesuddenlyandcompletely”atfouro’clockonChristmasmorning.Facingthenightandtheflashingstarsoutsidethewindow,histhoughtsreturntotheChristmasmorningdecadesagowhenhewasfifteenyearsold.Thesecondpartistowritefromhismemoriesofthechildhoodbacktoreality,backtothe“Christmasmorningthisyear”.Inthelastpartofthestory,RobbeginstotrimthetreeandpreparetocelebratethisChristmaswithhiswife.ThestoryiswrittentoconveytheideaofuniversalloveasadvocatedbyChristianity.WecanknowitfromtheChristmasgiftsgivenbysontofather,andbyhusbandtowife.Inordertoexpressthistheme,theauthorusesflashbacktoshowustheChristmasmorningwhenRobwasfifteenyearsold.Attheverybeginning,Robwasthefatherofan“emptynestfamily”.Hewasnolongeryoung,andhischildrenhadgrownupandlefthome.Helivedonlywithhiswife,butstillcouldnotchangethehabitwhichwakesupatfouro'clock,becausethiswasthetimehisfathercalledhisuptomilkthecow.Thisistheexpositionofthestory.ThenwecanseeasmallconflictbetweenRobandhiswife.HiswifethoughtitwasnotworthtrimmingtheChristmastree,butRobsaid:“Evenifthereareonlythetwoofus,let'shaveaChristmasofourown.”Atlast,hiswifesaid“Let'snottrimthetreeuntiltomorrow”becauseshewasverytiredtoday.Robhadagreed,“andthetreewasstilloutbythebackdoor”.JustthissmallconflictbroughtRobbacktohischildhood.Inthenextpart,theauthorbeginstousesflashbacktotellRob’schildhoodtothereaders.“Heslippedbackintime,ashedidsoeasilynowadays”.Theauthorbringsusbacktotheearliertimethroughthissentence.ThatisausualmorningbeforeChristmasDaywhenRobwasonlyfifteenyearsold.Heheardaconversationbetweenhisfatherandmotherbychance.Thiswasalsoasmallconflictbetweenhisfatherandmother.Hisfatherdidnotwanttocalledhimupsoearlyeverydaybecause“he’sgrowingsofast,andheneedshissleep”.Buthismotherdidnotthinkso.Shesaid:“Heisn'tachildanymore.It'stimehetookhisturn.”Robwasshocked.Fromthisconversation,hehadunderstoodthathisfatherlovedhimstrongly.Beforethis,heregardedtherelationshipbetweenfatherandhimastheverynaturalbloodrelationship,andhealsodidnotcaremuchaboutthelovefromhisfather.Butthisconversationchangedhisopinion.Sohedecidedtodosomethingspecialtomakehisfatherhappy.Thisisthecomplicationofthestory.Nextistheclimaxofthestory.Rob“laughedtohimselfashegazedatthestars”.“Itwaswhathewoulddo,andhemustn'tsleeptoosoundly”.“Hemusthavewakedtwentytimes,strikingamatcheachtimetolookathisoldwatch”.AllthesedescriptionsexpressRob’sanxiety.Ataquartertothreehegotuptofetchsomehayforeachcowandmilked.Thetaskwentmoreeasilythanhehadeverknownittobefore.Milkingalonewasnotthathard,moreover,thiswasaChristmasgiftforfather.Hefinishedmilking,andwentbacktohisroom.Hehadonlyaminutetopulloffhisclothesandjumpintobed,beforeheheardhisfathergetup.FatherfoundwhatRobhaddone,andthehewaslaughing,aqueersobbingsortofalaugh.“Hefoundhisfatherandclutchedhiminagreathug.Hefelthisfather'sarmsgoaroundhim”.Fatherwastooexcitedtosayanything.Thisistheclimaxofthestory.Sofar,hismemoriesareover.Inthelastpart,Rob’sthoughtsreturnedtothereality.“Theyhadbothrememberedit,andnowthathisfatherwasdeadheremembereditalone:thatblessedChristmasdawnwhen,alongwiththecowsinthebarn,hehadmadehisfirstgiftoftruelove”.Robrememberedhiswife.Herememberedtheconversationbetweenhiswifeandhimselfthismorning.Hewasregrettomakeaconflictwithhiswife.Justlikeinhisfifteen,hedidthesamethingthisevening:trimmingthetreehimself.“Hethenwenttohislibraryandbroughtthelittleboxthatcontainedhisspecialgifttohiswife,adiamondbrooch,notlarge,butbeautifulindesign”.Buthewasnotsatisfied.Hewantedtotellher—totellherhowmuchhelovedher.Thenwecanseetheresolution.“Howfortunatethathehadbeenabletolove.Thatwasthetruejoyoflife,theabilitytolove.Forhewasquitesurethatsomepeopleweregenuinelyunabletoloveanyone.Butlovewasaliveinhim;itstillwas”.Itoccurredtohimsuddenlythatitwasalivebecauselongagoithadbeenborninhimwhenheknewhisfatherlovedhim.Thatwasit:lovealonecouldwakenlove.
