第21章相扶走过黑暗（1）
HelpiherThroughtheDark
佚名Anonymous
Christmashasreallycaughtmebysurprisethisyear。Iherweektoprepare。MaybeitisbecauseitlooksmorelikeMarDecember。Everythingisallbrownandsoggy。
SaturdaymIwokemyhusbandahloudChristmasmusidmadethemhelpme。Wepickedup，vadmopped。Myhusbareesoitwouldfitinthehouse。Ieditinlights，thengotoutmywoodenSantasahemupoel。
BytheafterhimorelikeChristmasasIrushedoutalooa“ladies’tea”atParadiseCove。IwalkeddownthelohmyheadlamponandcouldseetheblinkinglightsstruorshedbeforeIhearditshum。Ihehandmadehouse，ourhostesshadhermother’sateacupsoutoable。dlesburnedinglassjarsonthewindowsills。
&ioedartyhats，andabouthalfthewomendid。Mostofusyjusttohavemadeittothetea，weweresobusy，alltheversatioobeginwith“AreyoureadyforChristmas？”answeredbygroaningnos。Weeveloudaboutwhatenifoneyearwesimplydidn’tdoChristmas。
Thenourhostessaskedustoformacircle。Shegaveaspeechabouthealingandfriendshipatoonewomanwhoisthankfullybaeafteraseasomentsoutside。Ifeltembarrassedaboutmypettyplaints。
Thenourhostessaskedustothinkkindthoughtsforanotheroneofuswhowasretlydiaghdwillbeginher“healiafterChristmas。Whilethefirstsmiledknowiruggledtoputabravefa。Shewasstillinshock。Sowaseveryoofushadn’theard。
Wewereeachaskedtosayawordementtoourtwofriends。Ourhostess，wh，angelicdress，beganbywishingthem“love”aively。
Ihatedthiskindofthing。Iwa—butaseaanspoke，Iheardtheirwordsinthewarm，fligdlelight：“faith”，“ce”，“strength”，
“laughter”，“pead“grace”。Ialsoheardanothervoisomeplasideusandfloatingallaround，whisperi”。
&heendoftheciranwished“roses”forthefirstt，whogrowslovelyflowersinhergarden，and“raspberries”forthesed，thetenderofaprolificberrypatch。
Ithought，thisisjustlikethatfirstChristmas，whenoneangelwasjoinedby“amultitudeoftheheavenlyhost”。
IalsowishedIhadtakeofioratleastborrowedmydaughter’soldprompriiara，whichthatmIhadpiaplainingwayfromthefloorofherroom。
Thesassedaround—weeachhadbroughtooshare。Iunedasmall，spidle，alighttoshihedarkness。AswesaidgoodbyesandMerryChristmases，HappyHanukkahs，Ituckedthetheupperpoyjaexttomyheart。