The Word of the Month: Pandamoniacadvent(ure)
November 29, 2020
For those of you that have followed my Doodles since waaaaaaay back in the day (early 21st century), you may have a faint memory of reading a few of the crazed holiday thought expulsions that came to me in the guise of the Cerebralspasm sisters, Nellie and LuLu. They used to take over my brainwaves at this time of year, discussing how the Doodler (moi) was going to make it through another hectic season of joy and stress. Back then with three daughters, a husband, a dog, sometimes a bunny or gerbil, nannied children and their families, kids I taught at church, and all the variables of life on earth poking holes in my desperately desired, but unreachable regulated life, I tended to hissy fit my way through the holidays. Nellie and Lulu, with their odd wisdom, would guide me back to the true meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Well, guess what? They’re baaaaaack! This year of pandemic and its accompanying fallout awakened those snoring sisters. I heard them whispering in my head the other day.
“Hey, Lulu! How’re you coping during this Pandemic Advent season?” Nellie asked.
“Pandamic Advent?” LuLu asked. “What are you talking about, sister? Are we being invaded by pandas now? I thought it was just a virus that was coming over from China! Now the pandas are coming?”
Nellie sighed. Lulu always had a bit of trouble understanding her sister’s questions.
“No, Lulu. Pandas are not invading America. And even if they were, wouldn’t that be a wonderful happening right during the holidays?”
“They are cute,” Lulu answered. “But I don’t think we have enough bamboo in this country for them to survive, do we? And who knows what a bunch of hungry pandas are capable of!
“Don’t get your hair in a tangle about it Lulu, because the pandemic has nothing to do with pandas. You know we’re in the middle of dealing with a serious, contagious disease that has spread across the entire world. That’s what the word pandemic means. It also means that we can’t celebrate the holidays in the same way that we always have. We can’t gather our families together without taking precautions or we might spread the virus to our loved ones.”
“Whoa, Nellie! That’s a sobering thought. What are we going to do?”
“It won’t affect us, Lulu, since we live together in this weirdo woman’s brain, but we need to pray for her and all her friends and family that they will find safe ways to celebrate Jesus’ birth this year, like quarantining for two weeks or getting tested before getting together. Or they may just have to Zoom or Facetime on the internet.”
“Oh, Nellie! You’re so sensible. I’m glad we can still be together, but just for fun, could I zoom over your face riding a flying panda?”
“Do what you want, Lulu, but promise me you won’t show yourself outside this woman’s brain!”
Celebrate safely and remember the true meaning of Advent: Jesus is Coming!
