Every Halloween, my dad and I would watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. A few years after he passed, I’d watch and cry, remembering how he’d laugh at Linus who relished waiting for the Great Pumpkin’s arrival out of the pumpkin patch. We’ve continued to make this a family tradition in my home and I’ve grown from being overly sentimental to once again enjoying this seasonal classic.
This year I had the pleasure of snuggling with Tyler and watching the show, but this time I cried for a different reason. She’s now at an age where she can actually understand what’s going on, and in true Tyler fashion, she had many questions.
While most adults watch Charlie Brown specials through the lenses of psychology, social commentary and bitter humor that was the hallmark of Charles Schultz’s work, I never expected a four year old to do the same. The one question that touched my heart was “Why aren’t there any mommies and dads on Charlie Brown?” “Wow,” I said. “I’m not sure, but I think that would be a great question for Charles Shultz if here were alive.” So for a minute or two, she was quiet. As the story continued and Linus became fodder for jokes and ridicule, Tyler asked why everyone was being so mean to him. She even asked (during the trick-or-treat scene) why Pig Pin was so dirty. Near the end of the cartoon, when Lucy went to the pumpkin patch to get Linus and put him to bed, Tyler had one final thought…”They need mommies and dads, then they could sit in the pumpkin patch with him [Linus] and put him to bed after the pumpkins come and they could tell the dirty boy to take a bath.”
I was so amazed at how my four year old could see the need for parents. I tried not to let her see the emotion in my face, because at the time I didn’t have any words to explain those emotions. But I know that I am truly blessed that somewhere in that little heart and mind of hers that she understands why mommies and dad’s do what they do, and more importantly what moms and dads should do.
While I’m certain that Charles Schultz never meant for the Great Pumpkin to be a lesson on parenting, I know for sure that the meaning of this Halloween special will forever be changed in my heart. One thing that never ceases to amaze me as a parent is that nuggets of knowledge come at unforeseen times. I pray that my children continue to be vessels for my own enrichment.
So as Schroeder plays that famous theme music in my head, I say, in the words of Linus, “Just wait ‘til next year Charlie Brown!” I’ll be there watching with my little girl, one year older, one year wiser, but hopefully still innocent enough to believe.
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