About 4 years ago a good friend of mine whom I'll call "T" (I have this habit of protecting identities when they don't have access to the material in which they are mentioned) asked me if I would be the Godfather of her two daughters. We certainly were very close and I wasn't surprised by the request however, it gave me pause. I'm not religious about anything and I felt that maybe I didn't meet the criteria.
First a little background: She, like me, was a native New Yorker and carried some of the cynicism you cultivate from running the streets and seeing the true nature of man on display but, she was always the kindest person you would ever want to meet. At that point we had known each other about 15 years and in all of our great conversations, we had never touched on God or religion. Eventually, I left for the midwest and she left for a dream detail with her employer in the Caribbean. The years passed and we maintained our friendship. Before long there was a wedding and then a daughter, then another.
And now I had a decision to make. For some, it's an easy one but, I wanted to take this seriously. Is there shame to be had for a non-believer to accept this responsibility? Would I feel like a fraud? Would I be making a mockery of this ceremony? It was probably all in my mind but a part of me felt it would be hypocritical for me to blindly accept. I'm no big fan of religion although I would probably be in big trouble if they organized one that centered on sleeping or food.
So, I asked her if I could think about it and a day or two later we discussed it again. For "T" it wasn't about the religious aspect but what I meant to her and the kids and that certainly put me at ease. She trusted me to give the girls guidance and protection when needed and that was enough for her. It was enough for me too. I should note that their father sets a good example for them. He's engaged in every aspect of their lives and works hard to provide for his family. My role is one on the periphery but you never know when you will be called into service.
We had a wonderful time at the Christening of their oldest daughter and a year and half later, we are at the Christening of their second daughter. I felt as though I should do something special for the girls that would fit in the moment so, I decided to purchase two very sturdy leather bound bibles: one black, one white. For each girl I handwrote a letter on the first blank page of each respective bible. I can't remember the exact words but I tried to convey how thankful we all were that they were in our lives and what the times were like. How much they reminded me of their mother at even such a young age. I wanted them to know that they could rely on me for anything, anytime, forever. It was incentive enough for me to live the right kind of life knowing that these young ladies could need me at any time. I took an oath and I had to be prepared for just such an occasion.
I had expected that the bibles would be kept in a safe place and possibly never used and that was ok. The family had about 5 bibles of various types in their household and could acquire a few more in their lifetime I suppose. However, yesterday I called "T" and she told me that the black bible (given to her oldest daughter) is missing. They haven't changed residences. I'm like, "Who would steal a bible?! And out of your house at that?". What she told me caught me off guard. The girls carried their bibles with them to church and to bible study every week. The oldest appears to have misplaced hers but they live on a island and its personalized so it can't be far. My hope is that it will turn up soon. If not, I will be more than happy to replace it with warm sentiments.
They carry their bibles with them every week. Who knew? The youngest can't even read yet. No sooner than they learn to read, they will read the words of promise and love that I tried to convey. A pleasant surprise indeed.
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