HelpingOneAnotherThroughtheDark
佚名/Anonymous
Christmashasreallycaughtmebysurprisethisyear.Ineedanotherweektoprepare.MaybeitisbecauseitlooksmorelikeMarchthanDecember.Everythingisallbrownandsoggy.
SaturdaymorningIwokemyhusbandandallthekidswithloudChristmasmusicandmadethemhelpme.Wepickedup,vacuumedandmopped.Myhusbandtrimmedthetreesoitwouldfitinthehouse.Iwrappeditinlights,thengotoutmywoodenSantasandlinedthemuponthemantel.
Bytheafternoon,everythinglookedalotmorelikeChristmasasIrushedoutalonetoa「ladies』tea」atParadiseCove.IwalkeddownthelongdrivewithmyheadlamponandcouldseetheblinkinglightsstrungonthegeneratorshedbeforeIhearditshum.Insidethehandmadehouse,ourhostesshadhermother』schinateacupsoutonthetable.Candlesburnedinglassjarsonthewindowsills.
Theinvitationsuggestedwewearpartyhats,andabouthalfthewomendid.Mostofuswerehappyjusttohavemadeittothetea,weweresobusy,alltheconversationsseemedtobeginwith「AreyoureadyforChristmas?」answeredbygroaningnos.Weevenwonderedoutloudaboutwhatwouldhappenifoneyearwesimplydidn』tdoChristmas.
Thenourhostessaskedustoformacircle.Shegaveaspeechabouthealingandfriendshipandmadeatoasttoonewomanwhoisthankfullybackhomeafteraseasonofcancertreatmentsoutside.Ifeltembarrassedaboutmypettycomplaints.
Thenourhostessaskedustothinkkindthoughtsforanotheroneofuswhowasrecentlydiagnosedwithcancerandwillbeginher「healingjourney」rightafterChristmas.Whilethefirstsmiledknowingly,theotherstruggledtoputabravefaceon.Shewasstillinshock.Sowaseveryoneelse—mostofushadn』theard.
Wewereeachaskedtosayawordofencouragementtoourtwofriends.Ourhostess,whoworealong,angelicdress,beganbywishingthem「love」and「hope」respectively.
Ihatedthiskindofthing.Iwantedtobolt—butaseachwomanspoke,Iheardtheirwordsofcomfortrisinginthewarm,flickeringcandlelight:「faith」,「courage」,「strength」,
「laughter」,「peace」and「grace」.Ialsoheardanothervoice,comingfromsomeplacedeepinsideusandfloatingallaround,whispering「fearnot」.
Neartheendofthecircle,awomanwished「roses」forthefirstcancerpatient,whogrowslovelyflowersinhergarden,and「raspberries」forthesecond,thetenderofaprolificberrypatch.
Ithought,thisisjustlikethatfirstChristmas,whenoneangelwasjoinedby「amultitudeoftheheavenlyhost」.
IalsowishedIhadtakenthetimetofindaprettyhatoratleastborrowedmydaughter』soldpromprincesstiara,whichthatmorningIhadpickedupinacomplainingwayfromthefloorofherroom.
Thenabasketofgiftswaspassedaround—weeachhadbroughtonetoshare.Iunwrappedasmall,spicycandle,alighttoshineinthedarkness.AswesaidgoodbyesandMerryChristmases,HappyHanukkahs,Ituckedthecandleintheupperpocketofmyjacket,nexttomyheart.