By Nicole Hasenpflug         

My childhood Sunday school class had many boys, but only two girls: one petite, doe-eyed child…and me.  It was no surprise when, for the few years we were Christmas-pageant-aged, the other girl was chosen to portray Mary…every single time.  Too tall and awkward to be the mother of Jesus, I was the angel—also every single time.  I really wanted to have a turn at being Mary, but I did my best as the angel anyway.  I had the lines down from the first year, starting with, “Fear not! For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy…”

On my bad days—and at this time of year there are a few—I’m sometimes bitter about the fact that I never even made the cut to play a mother in a church pageant.  “Mary” grew up to be a wonderful person and the mother of three adorable boys.  I don’t get to do that.  Always the messenger, never the mom.

On other days I think about my opening line: “Fear not.”  I chose my path as a teacher when I was still young enough for the tinsel halo, and I am now in my eighteenth year of teaching, in a school with many students in poverty and other tough situations. I spend a surprising amount of time saying, “Fear not,” or some variation, and then working to find ways to back what I’ve said and provide a bit of comfort, when often there is no easy fix.

I’ll never be a Mary, and I’m certainly not an angel, but delivering good news (and, once in a while, tidings of great joy) is a role I can grow into.

Nicole Hasenpflug has many adolescent musicians in her life—just not (usually) in her house.  She shares her home with her amazing husband and their two bunnies.