The Christmas season is definitely under way, and if there’s any reason why we go thru all this silliness, it must be for kids. Christmas is a gift to kids from adults. And that’s nice, when you think about it.

I myself am not a “natalist”; I didn’t have any kids and don’t want to have any kids. In my younger day, I was open minded about kids; I might have started a family, had the right person come along. I put in some years as a Sunday school teacher and youth minister at two different churches, and I hung out with families that had kids. So I got my fill of being around ’em.

I found out that I just wasn’t wired to be a kid’s kind of person. Admittedly, they’re precious in many ways, and I’d never want to hurt them. But after a while, they’re just too … too … too childish. The childishess is cute for a while, but it just doesn’t let up. I went through the 4 PM “arsenic hour” a couple of times, when you’re ready for a nap and the kid you’re with just keeps on bouncing around.

So I don’t think I would have done well as a parent. Truth is, I really wasn’t so keen on kids even when I was a kid! Reaching the age of 20 and going to college was an immense relief to me — it was like emerging from a dark world of irrationality.

But OK, let me give kids their due. They can be quite creative. And thus the painting above, from a 2 or 3 year old named Gavin. I dated Gavin’s mom for a few months back in 1992. She gave me the boot on Thanksgiving Day, right after the big family meal. I don’t know what ever happened to them; last I heard, they moved to Alaska. Anyway, about a month before that fateful afternoon, Gavin had his water colors out and gave me this. Quite colorful, I thought.

Well, Gav must be in his teens by now. Hope he’s been developing his artistic talents. Hope his mom eventually found him a step dad who gives him the attention he deserves. Hope Gav has a nice Christmas.