25 Days of Rudolph
Day 4: Coach Rudolph
In the serene beauty of the North Pole, Rudolph strolled through a snow-laden clearing, his nose casting a warm glow on the wintry landscape. As he turned a corner, he spotted a young reindeer struggling in the distance. The buck's attempts to take off and fly were met with disappointment, his spirit dampened by each failed attempt.
Rudolph's heart went out to the little buck, recognizing the familiar frustration that comes with learning to harness the magic within. He approached with gentle steps, his presence bringing a glimmer of hope to the crestfallen reindeer.
With a warm smile, Rudolph said to the buck, "You know, I think I could give you a few pointers".
The buck's eyes widened in disbelief, starstruck by the chance to receive guidance from the famous Rudolph himself. Eager to soar through the skies like his idol, he nodded his head quickly.
Rudolph's gaze softened with empathy. He knew the weight of such dreams and the determination it took to turn them into reality. With gentle words, he imparted his wisdom to the young buck. "At the end of your run, jump off all four hooves. All four, that's important," Rudolph advised, "Also, think of the happiest moment of your life when you jump. That should give you the boost you need."
The little buck paused, his eyes flickering with remembrance. A smile tugged at his lips as he recalled the day he had spotted his tiny antlers beginning to grow, a sign of his own journey of transformation. Filled with newfound hope, he gathered his courage and ran, and then leaped into the air, a sprinkle of magical sparkles trailing from his hooves.
For a few glorious moments, the young buck soared, his flight shaky yet filled with joy. Rudolph watched with pride, his heart swelling at the sight of the once downtrodden reindeer finding his wings.
As the buck touched the ground with a gleeful smile, he turned to Rudolph, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank-you-Thank-you-Thank-you!" he said, his voice brimming with appreciation. "I never thought I could do it until you showed me how!"
Rudolph humbly nodded, his heart glowing with the happiness he had brought to another. As the young buck bounded off to continue his practice, Rudolph's attention was captured by the approach of an old acquaintance and teammate.
Comet, one of Santa's loyal reindeer and a former coach, approached Rudolph with a mix of admiration and remorse in his eyes. "There's no doubt about it. You are a better flier, and a better teacher than I," Comet said, his voice tinged with regret as he recalled the pain he had caused Rudolph during his youth.
Rudolph blushed and said, "Oh. . .I don't know. I mean, that buck had it in him. I just gave him some pointers. Besides, Santa picked you to be the coach."
Comet visibly winced at this. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, then continued, "The truth is. . .I had taken on the role of coach out of necessity, as none of the other reindeer were willing or capable of guiding the young and aspiring fliers. Being the fastest, I assumed I was the best choice. Clearly that was a mistake. I'm not as good at teaching as everyone thinks. Sure, I can get young reindeer into the air, but that's pretty much. I'm useless at actually mentoring kids. To this day. . . I still regret encouraging the other reindeer to bully you and excluding you from the reindeer games. I can't apologize to you enough for that."
Rudolph listened; his heart heavy yet understanding. He saw the sincerity in Comet's eyes, the genuine desire for redemption. "Aw, Comet. I had already forgiven you and everyone else for what happened years ago. Please let go of your guilt. We've both grown and learned from our past experiences," Rudolph said with genuine peace and kindness.
The weight of the burden lifted, Comet visibly softened, a mix of relief and gratitude etched on his face.
"Rudolph. . .you have incredible strength and agility. You are the most capable reindeer on the team. Since I resigned years ago, the young reindeer have mostly gotten by through watching their parents or trial and error. But you have both the expertise and compassion the job needs. So. . . Rudolph, with your nose so bright. . . won't you help young reindeer take flight?
Rudolph was taken aback by the magnitude of Comet's words. The realization that his own journey had prepared him for such a responsibility was overwhelming yet empowering. Helping that young buck felt absolutely amazing. "It would be an honor, Comet," he said mix of humility and determination, ready to guide and inspire the next generation of fliers. It was the feeling he felt when Santa had asked him to guide his sleigh all those years ago. The weight of his new role settled upon him. He knew that he held the power to shape lives and nurture dreams.
The legacy of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer would continue to evolve, illuminating the path for generations to come, and spreading the magic of Christmas throughout the world.
Note: I hated Comet the most for his disgraceful behavior in the Rankin/Bass film, which is impressive because most of the characters were awful in that special. What kind of adult encourages bullying? So, I wrote this as a kind of redemption for him. I also think that Rudolph could be a great mentor/teacher. Just look at the scene between him and Happy in "Rudolph's Shiny New Year."