A Kid on Christmas

He reaches under the tree for a present.

He unwraps it, reveals a fabolous new toy.  Overjoy!  He's gotten what he's been asking for, something nice-looking with a lot of bells and whistles.

After a little while, though, that love begins to wane.  The toy doesn't shine like it did in the beginning, at least the way he sees it.  He's bored with it now but has to lug it around and keep it clean and pretend he's satisfied-- it's more trouble than it's worth.

Problem solved!  He's dropping that toy and running back under the tree to unwrap another one.  Hell, unwrapping them might be the best part.

His mother tells him he can have his new toy but she's donating the old toy to "a child who will appreciate it."  The boy snaps, screams at his mother.  He still wants the old toy; never mind that he doesn't intend to play with it ever again.  That toy is his and even though he doesn't appreciate it it would be an affront to his nature to see it in another child's hands.

This has been a parable.