Day 227: The Empty Space

"Theodore, are you going to keep humming that tune all night?" Alvin groaned.

"I'm sorry, Alvin.  Ever since I heard it last night at church, I just can't get it out of my head.  It's so catchy!"

"Which one is it?" Simon asked, looking up from his books.

" 'Light Up the Sky'."

"Oh that one's nice.  Isn't it based on Jacob's journey in the night to escape from his brother?"

"I don't know.  I guess it could be."

"Oh brother!" Alvin interrupted.  "Does this mean you've become a religious nut too, Simon?"

"If by 'religious nut,' you mean one who is trying to learn as much of the Bible as he can like a wise Christian should, then yes."

Alvin rolled his eyes.  "I'm going to practice our music for Friday's concert."  He stomped upstairs and shut the door.

"I'm surrounded by this God stuff!"  Alvin stopped moaning aloud and started tuning his guitar.  "It's not like I don't believe in a God or anything," he thought.  "I think there's a big guy up there who does some pretty cool stuff.  I don't think I need to be a Christian, that's all.  People will look at me differently if they know I turned religious.  My reputation would be ruined.  I do good things already.  We do benefit concerts and volunteer.  Sure, I get upset sometimes, but I'm generally a nice guy."

With an audible scoff, he began playing a favorite song to warm up.

"What about that space?" a tiny voice inside him asked.

"What space?" he furrowed his brow.

"That one you have deep in the corners of your heart, that space you're always trying to forget about, the empty space?"

"Oh that!  Please.  That's nothing to worry about."

"But Brittany said something about feeling peaceful and truly happy."

"So that's just Brittany.  I'm sure that's different."

Alvin had these inner conversations with himself for several days.  Sometimes they would come in his sleep or  bother him at random times at school.  Most of the time though situations would trigger them, especially when he felt uncertain about misbehaving.  Alvin thought it was his conscience, but divine intervention showed him that it wasn't.

Alvin had had a particularly rotten day, one of those days where nothing ever went right.  His procrastination had caught up with him, causing him to get a "C" on an English assignment and get sent to the principal's office, which brought about a bitter argument with Dave and a cruel punishment of not being aloud to go to camp in the summer after he had been counting on it for months.  Combining the potential of summer school and the accusation of stealing someone's bike even though he was innocent, Alvin felt like the world was against him.

He was on his bed, trying his hardest to hold back the tears, when Theodore came in to comfort him.  Gently, he explained to Alvin that what he was feeling was normal, and he would keep feeling miserable in this world until he found the one person who could save him and make everything all better.  Alvin listened carefully as Theodore told how much Jesus and his disciples suffered and what the punishment of sin was.  Then, with a glow to his face, he shared how much Jesus loved him that he willingly took all the future suffering intended for Alvin so that he would never have to feel it.  That's why being Christian was so important to them and why they were so desperate to have Alvin become one too, even if Simon inadvertently fought with him about how important God was.  They only wanted Alvin to be as happy as they were.

Everything finally made sense to Alvin.  He pushed through the knot of fear in his throat and stomach and asked, "Theodore, would you help me...b-b- become a Christian?  I don't wanna feel this pain anymore.  I wanna be good."

Theodore gave him one of his signature giant hugs and wiped away the tears. "I'd be honored, Alvin."

Becoming Christians did not magically fix the Chipmunks' and Chipettes' faults, nor did it change their personalities.  Alvin and Brittany still fought with each other and struggled with vanity and pride issues.  Eleanor had a nasty habit of bossing people around.  Theodore still had a weakness for food.  Jeanette could be stubborn to the point of hurting herself in the long run, and it took a lot to convince Simon that he was wrong.  However, most of the fights they all had were harmless banters at most, and they ultimately had each others' best intentions at heart. Each one tried to lift the other up.  Brittany offered to help her sisters with their chores and let them go into the bathroom first on some days.  Simon was kinder, less sarcastic with his brothers, and intended on expanding the evidence in the Christian scientific field.  Alvin reduced his greediness levels by at least 50% and worked harder in school.  Theodore and Eleanor did the most volunteer work of them all.  As for Jeanette, she started to write inspirational poems that reflected Jesus and befriended every lonely child in the cafeteria.