I don' t know how old I was when I first heard the story of the Star over Bethlehem ... but I remember the year I believed that the star would appear because it was Christmas Eve. I was around four years old. We were at Grandma's for Christmas that year along with my cousins from Chicago. As we lay on pallets between the Christmas tree and the potbelly stove, someone told the Christmas Story.
I already knew that Santa came flying over the house with his reindeer, I'd heard that on the radio, but this story about a brilliant star was marvelous.
Someone suggested we go out to look for Santa and wait for the star to appear. Although my mother was very reluctant to let me go with the big kids ... I got bundled up and went outside.
The sky was hazy but the stars shone through the haze haloing them. It was cold and silent in the snow. I saw hundreds of stars but neither the Star nor Santa's sled ... but then I thought that was only right. Miracles even then in my child's mind couldn't be forced.
deep winter's night
seeking a shooting star
Christmas miracle
seeking a shooting star
Christmas miracle
(c) G.s.k. '14
