Each year before Christmas, ‘midst the chaos and cheer
I get overwhelmed, crack a Tumbledown beer.
I sit in my nook
and open Facebook
and proceed to scroll through
while sipping my brew.
And each year (except this)
a post catches my eye
in handcuffs and stripes, a green furry guy.
We all know him well, that Grinch who stole Christmas.
And we all know the poster who posted this meme-ness.
Our local sheriff, who logs on to say
“We got him! The grinch! We got our way!”
And I cringe, and I cringe,
and I cringe cringe cringe cringe
as I stare at the photo of the beaten down Grinch.
Yes we all know these two: the sheriff, the grinch,
we know this old story on which the system does hinge.
But we also know this:
The grinch changed his ways.
He brought back the toys.
We all know the phrase:
“And what happened, then?
Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart
grew three sizes that day.”
Thanks to the doctor, we know he was good.
Deep down, deep, deep down, that Grinch heart was good
So I ask you, Sheriff Nichols, why the cuffs? Why the joke?
Why the meanness to someone? Why poke and provoke?
And I know what you’ll say: a joke’s just a joke.
but in my opinion, that’s just mirrors and smoke.
And every single year I think hard of the Grinch.
We all make mistakes. We all learn and live.
I read the story out loud to my kid
and teach him about what Grinch ACTUALLY did.
We can learn from the Grinch, we can learn from the Whos.
They didn’t press charges,
even though he broke rules.
They saw unresolved trauma,
a creature like them,
who beneath the green fur just needed a friend.
Yes, the Whos down in Whoville
saw who he might be.
So they welcomed him in,
let him carve the roast beast.
And I’m hoping, Sheriff Nichols, that you might do the same.
That, perhaps THIS is the year you let go of the blame.
This year the post was ironically missing,
(even though I’ve been writing while Thoughtbridge I’ve been sipping.)
And like Cindy Lou Who I’ll give this a chance.
I’ll hope that the absence means you’re taking a stance.
A stance in believing that hearts can grow inches.
A stance in believing in all the world’s Grinches.
Until you do that, until you believe,
We, we the people, we’ll never achieve
a world that is balanced, a system that’s just
a community built on foundations of trust.
If we can’t lead with heart,
if we don’t,
we’ll never move forward,
We won’t,
we just won’t.
Amber Stone
Farmington, Maine
Editor’s Note: Amber Stone is no longer affiliated with the Daily Bulldog. Her thoughts and opinions are solely her own and do not represent those of the Bulldog.
