A Heavenly Christmas: Welcome To Earth

Nick stood at the window of his apartment staring out into a winter wonderland framed by the glowing holiday lights of the neighbors’ homes.  The snow had been falling most of the day and now it covered the world in a soft pure blanket.  He was aware how lucky he was to find this kind of view in the middle of the city.  Right in front of his apartment were two large trees.  Even the brush next to the creek was beautiful with its pristine cover.  Of course he wouldn’t feel quite so lucky in the spring when the skunks try to next under his stoop again. 

 

 

The angel sat in the top of the tree watching as he turned from the bright beauty into the darkness within.  Her pretty features were marred with a frown as she wondered why anyone would prefer a place so void of cheer.  Snow shook from the tree as she hopped to the ground.  Ahhh.  She loved the way the snow felt between her toes.  It was better than the sand on the beach.  She sighed with pleasure as she wiggled her toes enjoying the texture.  

 

Suddenly a great clump of snow plopped down on her head.  “Hey!” she cried as she looked up.  One gold snowflake caught her eye as it drifted to the ground where she had been playing in the snow with her feet.  “Oh, sorry.  I forgot”, she said as she noticed her feet had made a mess of the snow.  She took a gentle step to the side where she hovered just above the ground and with a little wink, she set the evidence of her play straight again.  “Maybe they need some unexplained footprints around here,” Ostara mumbled as she thought of the sad man she had seen.

 

The angel walked over to the dark window to watch him.  He sat on a metal framed couch with, what in the darkness might be a blue cushion.  Ostara couldn’t think it very comfortable.  Maybe that was why he looked so unhappy.  He was smoking a cigarette staring at the TV.   She thought it a shame that such a handsome face should be marred by such grief.   She looked around the room.  It looked like everything he owned was contained in this one room.  Besides the couch and the TV she could see a dinning suit with several computers in various stage of repair on the table.  With her keen eyesight she could tell from the dust that they had not been moved for some time. 

 

Dust was thick on the shelves as well.  There were a few personal items on the shelves, but nothing that really told her much about the person who lived here.  Then she noticed.  He hadn’t even bothered to turn the TV on.   Tears slipped from her eyes.

 

Nick stood up and walked out of her sight.  After a few seconds he came back into the living room, beer in hand.  She noticed how his short brown hair complemented his features.  He had a tall muscular frame that moved with confidence in spite of his obvious inner turmoil.  He walked toward the window and looked right at her. 

 

She was mesmerized by his clear green eyes the color of a turf football field right before the shouting starts.  Ostara loved to watch the games with the most excited players.  She often had all of heaven shouting for every goal the human players made, basking in the joy of their human accomplishment.  She could see this man cheering on his team, triumph in his eyes instead of this deep sadness.  She could barely see beyond it, but she knew she could break through that thick layer of misery. 

 

She was sinking deeper and deeper into those eyes when the blinds fell between them startling her.  She jumped back and shook her head.  “I’ll never get used to them not being able to see me,” she thought.  “This one could be a problem.  I can see those eyes being trouble for me.”  She turned and walked back into the little wooded lot not noticing the man standing at the door of his apartment staring at the single set of foot prints next to his window.

 

 

Venus lay in her cloud looking up at the heavens thinking about the man.  In her hands was a clump of snow she had dug out of the cloud.  She rolled it over and over thinking about how his eyes would sparkle like the stars if only she could make him laugh.  He had nice arms too.  “I bet her gives wonderful hugs” she sighed, “and he has such broad shoulders and that little round belly…” She sat up.  “Oh!”  She started giggling.  “I have got to stop comparing everyone to Santa Clause!”  She rolled over on her tummy and parted the cloud.  As she peered down to earth she whispered, “Besides, I bet his belly doesn’t look anything like jelly when he laughs.”

 

He was lying on his couch staring at his ceiling.  Just another day.  No, not just another day.  It was the last week before Christmas, which means it will be a busy day.  He sighed and reached for his first cigarette of the morning.  Then he heard it; bells.  It sounded like someone was ringing little silver bells somewhere close.  He shook his head.  They were gone.   “Thought so.  It’s finally happening.  I’m losing my mind.  Well, hopefully I’ll get my Christmas deliveries done before I totally lose it.”   His head cocked to one side for just a moment as he thought he heard the bells again. 

 

He groaned as he rose to begin his day.  Cigarette burning, he went to the kitchen for his coffee.  He pulled the canister out of the cupboard and scooped six generous spoonfuls into the filter.  That was one nice thing about being single; he could make his coffee as strong as he liked it.  Being single wasn’t nearly as bad as he thought it would be.  When he stopped by the bar after work he could stay as late as he wanted.  He was never jealous of the other guys who had to rush home to the family after one or two beers.  “Yep!” he said to no one in general, completely unaware that someone was indeed listening.  “The only obligation I have is to my job!”  When he thought of work he frowned.  “I need a life,” he sighed as he pulled off his shirt to get ready for his shower.

 

“Oh!” sighed the angel from her cloud.    “”No, that belly is nothing like jelly!”  “Hey!” she cried as the hole she had made in the cloud began to fill with little gold snowflakes.  “How am I supposed to learn about him if I can’t watch him?” she asked.  The snowflakes glowed brightly in admonishment.  “You’re no fun,” she complained as she began to plan her day.