當幸福來敲門 第21章 相扶走過黑暗 (1)
    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.
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