It’s Christmas Eve and I’m about to wake the babies. And we’re alone. He went out to the next town with a friend I didn’t know he had. He phoned that old man Jenkins, who came down to tell me a snow storm has made it impossible for Jonathan to come home until tomorrow. God is gracious…When that old man knocked on my door, I would not open. Told him I was sick and he had to tell me through the door. I, on the other hand, am not gracious…
As I wait for midnight I recall the times my brothers, my sister and I, once we were old enough, used to walk to midnight mass instead of riding in the car. It’s because it was so magical. It was so silent except for us, but even we became silent when the snow began to fall. Because we knew that if we listened with the right kind of ears, we could hear the angels sing…Tonight I’m doing what parents and grandparents all over the world are doing; eating cookies and drinking milk marked for Santa and it makes me smile. I bring in the carrots from the back porch and crunch off a piece to leave as evidence. There are so many presents under that little tree and some are even for me.
The clock strikes midnight and I wake two sleepyheads. I tell them Santa was here and carry them to the living room. When they see the presents, they get all excited. They see that Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk. I wish I had a camera to capture what I see. We look to see if the reindeer ate the carrots and sure enough they did! Oh what joy in our house tonight. One by one they open their presents and shriek and laugh at everything they discover from dolls to new underwear. The excitement and joy in the air is something I will remember in my dark days. I let them play for awhile and have a cookie like Santa and then it’s off to bed once more, Linus with her new Dolly Baby ceremoniously named Lulu and Boo with the most beautiful bear I’ve ever seen. His name is Popo. I always love to listen to their chatter when they go to bed and tonight it’s all about toys and new shirts and more toys.
Then I make a hot chocolate and alone I open my gifts. I can hardly believe my eyes. Warm pajamas for me too. Sweaters, socks, and even bath stuff. I clean up the wrapping paper everywhere then I put on my new pajamas. They feel so nice. I put down the mattress and tonight I will sleep well and I will sleep under the glowing lights of the tree.
As I lay there, with a full heart and no fear for the first time in a very long time, I thank God for those who made this possible for us to have these blessings. I remember a song by Aaron Neville and the tears come…this is my Christmas prayer…
This is my wish for everybody in the world
To have peace and happiness
And all the love that they deserve
To every mother, every father
Every baby child out there
This is my Christmas prayer
To all those who are hungry
May they never miss a meal
All the broken hearted may they find a way to heal
And all the homeless and the needy
That they have a coat to wear
This is my Christmas prayer…
Next -> The Telescope
Tags: angels sing, dark days, sleepyheads, snow storm