The Not-So-Little Drummer Boy

So what's your favorite Christmas carol?

I remember how much I liked the song "Little Drummer Boy".The words and music to this Christmas song was composed by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone in 1958 with the lyrics consisting of no less than 21 rum pum pum pum (source: http://www.carols.org.uk/little_drummer_boy.htm)

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Recollecting back, it dawned on me how my childhood experiences took some striking semblance to the main character boy in the song. Our family, thanks to our loving and hardworking parents, were not really poor in terms of need but there were still some childhood insecurities that I experienced along the way. I have seen how my well-off classmates would bring to school their latest expensive toys compared to my dirty home-made or cheap ones. They would ride on their shiny new BMX bicycles as I walk further away before riding our "carabao" bicycle. They have all new clothes every school-year opening but I have only a new pair so I use the old ones until they either break-off along their seams or are totally unfit to wear.

So Christmas time for me was full of hope for material things that I can receive from my parents, uncles, aunts and god-parents. I would surely get new clothes, newest toys and crisp paper bills to show-off to my cousins on our traditional reunions.

As I grew up and learned about the Christmas story of our Lord Jesus of how ruggedly poor His initial conditions were at the scene of Nativity, I slowly learned to embrace my situation then and appreciated better my childhood blessings. I realized that my condition is not exactly "poor" as I perceived it to be. With my cheap toys, I never had any reservation to lend it to others and would have felt little sadness in case they are lost. With our old bike, I never had to worry about it being stolen when I park it anywhere. And as for my old clothes, well I don't mind sweating it all over as I played. And as for those rich kids with good toys, well, I became friends with some of them and I get to play with their toys as well.

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Now that I am a grown-up man, a husband and father at that, our Lord still keeps on smiling at me even if I am still without any physical gold, frankinsence or myyrh to offer Him. It is my fervent belief that as long as I hold my drum and play my best drum-beat for Him, He will be smiling at me because He loves me and my drum, nothing more and nothing less.

During this holiday, it is my prayer that more and more people will also see it fit to play the only drum that matters to our Lord on His birthday.

This drum is our heart.
And our drum-beat must be our faithful and undying heart-beat for Him.

Happy Birthday to you, our Lord Jesus Christ.