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.