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Welcome to our weekly column - written by SpiritProject's staff or guest writers, who's opinions we don't necessarily have to share, but welcome as an impulse to discussion.
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A Christmas Story
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"And what do I have left? Fifty dollars ..and look at all these happy people around..."
She looked at the two couples that had stopped in front of the festively decorated jewelery store. They must be looking for rings.... The blonde snuggeled up to her boyfriend and smiled at him.
She turned away. It hurt. She had held on to that little glimmer of hope that he would ask her too, tomorrow, on Christmas Eve. But that dream was gone. No sooner had he gotten his Christmas present out of her, knowing that it would be an expensive DVD player, he disappeared from her life.
She swallowed her tears. "I must be crazy. At least a bit. Everybody said so. Too trusting. A man like that could have any girl."
But he had courted her for 3 month. She realized now, that the bond between them had just existed in her fantasy. He must have lost interest in her a while ago, but she did not want to see that. It was her own fault. But...
The 50 dollars would have to do until the end of the month. No Christmas tree. The feast was also out. But she wanted at least to shop a little. Anything tasty and fattening. Some comfort foods and a bottle of wine.
She turned left, away from the fancy strip mall to the supermarket that would close soon. It was dark, an ice cold wind blew her hair around and made her cheeks prickle. How nice it would be if she came home and he..... "Stop dreaming ,"she scolded herself," You are well off, have an apartment, a job, and next month even more money, since there is one less mouth to feed.'
From this perspective the situation had even some good to it.
A few feet from the supermarket stood an old man. He wore a much to thin coat and was obviously freezing. At least the scarf around his neck protected him somewhat from the bitter cold. She looked for a sign that would tell the passersby about him, his life, his needs. Many beggars and those who pretended, had a sign, a hat for coins. This man didn't. But he was real. She did'nt mind to give if she sensed a person was sincere, felt somehow connected. In a way she too was an outcast, a women who saw many things differently than others. They let her feel that. Today though, she could not give. She just had that one bill, her last money. Even her creditcard was maxed out, because of hat stupid DVD-player.
She was about to shrug her shoulders and leave the man with a friendly smile. But his eyes let her hesitate. They were so clear and bright and full of understanding. No...love?
She pulled her hand out of her pocket and handed him the 50 Dollar bill. He took it without letting her out of his sight. A stream of warmth ran through her. "MerryChristmas...", she said.
His eyes captured her, she could hardly look away to keep going. She didn't want him to thank her.She did the right thing, he needed the money more. She hurried away.
" Have a blessed Christmas, Anna." 
No, he couldn't have said that. How did he know her name? She stopped, turned around,wanted to ask him how he knew her.
Nobody was there. No old men near or far, not even and entrance way for him to hide in. He was not there, probably has never been.
But she had seen him, heard him. The warmth she found in his eyes, was still with her. Love. The kind of love that made her feel like she felt as a child, in the arms of her mother. Without expectations, without the need for words. Simply love.
Anna smiled. Nobody would believe this. If she would tell her story, people would say that she had finally lost it.
But she did not have to tell, she wouldn't forget though. She remembered that she had some leftovers at home from last nights dinner.
Her Christmas had been blessed.
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