第21章 相扶走过黑暗 (1)（1 / 1）

HelpgOneAhroughtheDark

佚名/Anonyo

Christashasreallycaughtbysurprisethisyear.Ineedanotherweektoprepare.MaybeitisbecaeitlooksorelikeMarchthanDeceber.Everythgisallbrownandsoggy.

SaturdayIwokeyhbandandallthekidswithloudChristasidadethehelp.Wepickedup，vacuudandopped.Myhbandtridthetreesoitwouldfitthehoe.Ieditlights，thengotoutywoodenSantasaheupoel.

Bytheafternoon，everythglookedalotorelikeChristasasIrhedoutalooa“dies’tea”atParadiseCove.IwalkeddownthelongdrivewithyheadponanduldseetheblkglightsstrungonthegeorshedbeforeIhearditshu.Ihehandadehoe，ourhostesshadherother’schateacupsoutoable.dlesburnedgssjarsonthedowsills.

Thevitationsuggestedweartyhats，andabouthalfthewondid.Mostofwerehappyjttohaveadeittothetea，weweresoby，alltheioobegwith“AreyoureadyforChristas？”answeredbygroangnos.Weevenwonderedoutloudaboutwhatwouldhappenifoneyearwesiplydidn’tdoChristas.

Thenourhostessaskedtoforacircle.Shegaveaspeechabouthealgandfriendshipandadeatoasttoonewoanwhoisthankfullybackhoafteraseasonofcertreatntsoutside.Ifeltebarrassedaboutypettypts.

Thenourhostessaskedtothkkdthoughtsforanotheroneofwhowasretlydiagnosedwithcerandwillbegher“healgjourney”rightafterChristas.Whilethefirstsiledknogly，theotherstruggledtoputabravefa.Shewasstillshock.Sowaseveryoneelse—ostofhadn’theard.

Wewereeachaskedtosayawordofenuragenttoourofriends.Ourhostess，whoworealong，angelicdress，beganbywishgthe“love”and“hope”respectively.

Ihatedthiskdofthg.Iwaobolt—butaseachoke，Iheardtheirwordsoffthewar，flickergdlelight：“faith”，“urage”，“strength”，

“ughter”，“peace”and“grace”.Ialsoheardanothervoice，gfrosopcedeepsideandfloatgallaround，whisperg“fearnot”.

heendofthecircle，awoanwished“roses”forthefirstcerpatient，whogrowslovelyflowershergarden，and“raspberries”forthesend，thetenderofaprolificberrypatch.

Ithought，thisisjtlikethatfirstChristas，whenoneangelwasjoedby“aultitudeoftheheavenlyhost”.

IalsowishedIhadtakeitofdaprettyhatoratleastborrowedydaughter’soldproprcesstiara，whichthatIhadpickedupapgwayfrothefloorofherroo.

Thenabasketofgiftsassedaround—weeachhadbroughtooshare.Iunedasall，spicydle，alighttoshethedarkness.AswesaidgoodbyesandMerryChristases，HappyHanukkahs，Ituckedthedletheupperpocketofyjacket，oyheart.