Objects We Fear Losing
Cling To Words Of Love Which Cannot Be Broken
by Eric Elkin
Rick opened a small wooden box and tenderly pulled out a yellow egg. His guests were confused. The way he handled it, one would think it was a rare Faberge egg from the last Tsar of Russia. Yet all they could see was an aged sugar egg sealed with crusty frosting. What was so important about this egg that it needed to be treated so cautiously?
The egg, as it turned out, was not as precious as what it represented. A sentiment Rick shared with the Radiolab podcast crew on its most recent show, titled, "Things." The show investigated "the objects around us, their power to move us, and whether it's better to look back or move on, hold on tight, or just let go."
The story of the sugar egg was rooted in Rick's unsettled childhood. His father, who worked for the federal government, was constantly being moved from one state to the next. The continual displacement, coupled with Rick's shyness, made friendships difficult.
This all changed when Rick was eight years old. He finally made a friend. The kind of friend who invited him to a birthday party, the first he had ever been asked to attend. Unfortunately, shortly before the party, Rick's father received news that he was to be transferred once again. The family would leave for their new home the same day as the party.
As his parents finished packing the moving truck, Rick slipped away. Some unseen force was pulling at his heart. He needed to go to his friend's house even if he couldn't attend the party. With little thought of why or what he would say, Rick ran up on the porch and rang the doorbell.
He was greeted by his friend's mother but remained silent. Rick remembers not really knowing what he was doing at the house. The mother, not really knowing what to do with this speechless child, went into the house and brought him this yellow sugar egg filled with candy. Rick has held onto that egg for forty-nine years.
His actions beg the question, why? Why hold onto something so fragile and financially worthless? Did he really need the object to remember the story?
When asked why Rick said, the egg was, "Physical proof that he had been invited to a birthday party. And there was the hope of making a friendship." The story was not enough to remember that feeling of belonging. Rick needed something physical, a tangible expression of the acceptance he longed to receive as a child.
Most of us have an object which carries significant meaning to us. Something we fear losing because it cannot be replaced. Interestingly, the power of the object is something we place on it. If the object is so fragile that it can be lost or destroyed, then its power cannot be that great either. Perhaps, like Rick's egg, the power is more a deep personal yearning for something than anything transformative.
I thought about Rick's egg while exploring the name Jesus was never given, Immanuel, God with us. The story of his egg captures so many truths about human reality. We long for relationships that pull us out of isolation. We have a deep desire to know we are loved and lovable. I think this is why God wanted Jesus to be called Immanuel.
The problem is, words are often not enough. So we seek out objects to place meaning onto so we can see, touch, and hold that which we desire. While words may not be enough, they are more enduring than an object. Physical things can be broken, and so can our confidence in them.
The words, God with us, express a reality which cannot be broken and a truth we need to hear. Never is this more important than at Christmas time. When our homes are full of gifts to be shared with those whom we love, we need to remember those gifts can be lost or broken. What remains unbreakable is God with us. These words mean we are loved and lovable beyond our own comprehension.
If your house is full of love this Christmas, give thanks for the joy you share. God is with you in your peace. If your home is broken by grief, loss, or pain, remember God is still with you. You are loved and lovable even when you don't have an object to grasp to convince yourself it is true. Just trust the words.
Click to read Isaiah 7: 10-16
Reflection Questions:
What object holds special meaning for you?
What would be lost if it were broken or destroyed?
If it were lost, where would you turn to find comfort?
When have words of love brought peace to your soul?