Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me my friend. You are always welcome around my table. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to both you and your family. Several years ago I wrote the below article. During this time of the year we may hear and maybe singing various carols. These Christmas carols / songs have become synonymous with this time of the year. One of these carols /songs is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. As a youth I heard this carol / song sung with the thought that, “This is a happy song”. As I grew older the words of the song took on a different meaning.

Let me share with you what I discovered my friend. 

As the song begins, we are drawn to the names of Santa’s reindeer:Dasher, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. As the song continues special attention is drawn to Rudolph. The song tells us that Rudolph had a bright red shiny nose that some say even glowed. We are given the impression that Rudolph’s nose distinguished Rudolph from the other reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. With the next several lines of the carol / song we hear that Rudolph is laughed at, called names and not allowed to join in reindeer games.

Although the reason (s) why Rudolph is shunned, laughed at and called names is not made clear ― what is made clear is that Rudolph’s bright red shiny nose made him different from the other reindeer. Although Rudolph is merely a fictional character in a Christmas song, his plight can easily be identified with by individuals who have experienced similar rejection and ridicule ― because they are different from other members of the “herd”. As I listened to the song – with my new understanding – I found that I could identify with Rudolph’s experience with in the “herd”.

Although I attempted to go along to get along — for many years ― to find my place and position in the herd I continued to experience feelings of alienation and isolation for being different.

As we continue to listen to the lyrics of the song we hear, “then one foggy Christmas night Santa came to say…”. In this part of the song we hear that Santa recognized the value of what made Rudolph different and uniquely qualified to fulfill a unique need – to empower the herd and his mission. Upon reflection I can only imagine what Rudolph and the other reindeer thought when Santa asked Rudolph “Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” What the herd had laughed at and ridiculed and scorned, Santa saw as essential to accomplishing the mission before him – to guide his sleigh.

Rudolph’s gift – what made him different – empowered him to fulfill what none of the other reindeer could hope to do. What made Rudolph different equipped him to be of maximum service to Santa, to his fellow reindeer and as the song infers, to many boys and girls.

This article is concluded in Part 2. To read Part 2 please click on the following link, Part 2

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