Coprolite Newsletter, December 2003

The stack of packages under our Christmas tree grows every day. It’s fascinating to imagine what’s inside them. But in the midst of all the colorful paper, two especially intriguing gifts are already unwrapped. They are my electric train and my wife’s sled.

I guess I should explain. It’s not just that we’ve entered our second childhood, although that may be part of it. At a pre-Christmas party, a friend gave the sled to my wife, Mickey. It’s not your standard downhill flyer. This one is made of black wrought-iron, with the message “Holiday Greetings” across the top. The front is adorned with a white snowman, snowwoman, and snowchild complete with carrot noses, big hats, and colorful scarves. The little family is sculpted from sheets of metal. (You would not want to do a belly-flopper on their sharp edges.) After its stint leaning against our Christmas tree, the sled will stand outside the front door welcoming guests.

The electric train is actually a gift Mickey bought (with some hinting on my part) for my birthday a week ago. It’s not the standard electric train. This one is all about Christmas. Santa rides atop the engine, waving to everyone as he goes by. On every car, moving figures are engaged in some kind of Christmasy thing—elves are making toys, people are skating on a tiny rink, and so on. The station plays Christmas music, and I can press buttons on the controller to produce whistles, bells, and “Ho-ho-ho’s.” My train will circle the tree every day until the decorations come down on Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas.

We’ve gotten sleds and electric trains before. But it’s different now.

For one thing, the versions we got as children were more directly related to the original practical purpose of the two kinds of vehicles. I’m sure Mickey’s first sled was not much of a work of art. It got plenty of use (as did mine) providing downhill thrills and physical activity. My first train was seriously modeled after a working railroad. There was even a siding where I could drop off cars to be unloaded.

I wonder why, the second time around, these toys that once held such real-world practicality now arrive with so much fantasy built in. Maybe it’s because, as children, we were able to supply all the fantasy and imagination called for, but at our current age we need a little more help. Or maybe it’s not us. It could just be that in today’s culture (when dolls arrive already named and with a family history) toys always come with the imagination all worked out for you. The explanation I like best is that when we were children, we were busy learning and experiencing and trying out real-life roles. Now, we’re at a stage when we can move beyond the practical uses and just enjoy the idea of a sled or train.

Another difference is that the first time around, our toys were pretty much just for us. Now, the emphasis is focused more on others. The sled will stand at the door helping to make guests feel welcome. The train’s primary mission is to fascinate grandchildren. I like to think that becoming more oriented toward others is a positive aspect of growing older.

Finally, there’s a difference in the time frame in which we see our toys. When Mickey got her very first sled, she probably never contemplated a time when she wouldn’t be enjoying it. I know I thought of my first train, which was mounted on plywood in the basement, as a permanent part of my life. When you’re young, everything lasts forever. But now we know our new sled and train are temporary. They’re soon destined to be tucked away in the closet, at least until next year. And if we ever follow the trend and move from our house into an apartment, there probably won’t be room for them. The ability to understand and accept impermanence is an important (though unfortunate) part of growing older.

The message I get from the givers of these toys is this: “I know you. You still have a child’s sense of play, tempered with an adult’s sense of the importance of others. You know about the seasons of life, and how to enjoy each one in its own way. Have fun!”

All in all, if this is the beginning of our second childhood, it’s looking pretty good. I hope your holiday season and new year are looking great!

––Wayne Adams
wayne@coprolites.com
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