By Nigar
The Christmas of 2018 was a very memorable one for me. Sarah, my friend since our college days, had invited me and two other friends of ours over to her house for the evening tea on Christmas day—a really interfaith Christmas tea party! We were all excited as we were meeting after a very long time and had so much to share with each other.
We friends landed at Sara’s home: a very pretty home, very simple and very tidy. A cute Christmas tree adorned a corner of the drawing room. On the dining table, Sara had laid out rose cookies, some savouries and delicious homemade fruit cake. We girls wished Sara and her family and sat around the table munching the goodies, which were oh so yummy! What impressed me more than anything was the very homely warmth of Sara’s home. I felt immensely positive vibrations. Sara and her family were very devout people and led their lives meaningfully, keeping God at the centre.
We girls chattered and shared little tidbits from our lives as we munched on the goodies and showered heaps of praise on Sara for her culinary skills. After coffee, we decided to set off to our homes as it was close to sunset time. Sara also offered to take us all to meet with her mother, who lived with her brother.
Before we set out, I suggested that we offer our gratitude to God and to Sara for inviting us over. I thanked God and sought His blessings on Sara and her family and all our dear friends and their families. After this we set off to meet Sara’s mother.
After the very happy time we had together, we went out to fetch autos for us to reach our respective homes. I was thrilled that we were able to make it for Sara’s Christmas tea.
Reaching home, as I got about doing some work, my father told me that he had had some pain in his chest for over two days. Assuming it would go away, he had not worried about it. But that day, he told me that the pain was still there. Although the symptoms now were not alarming, I did not want to take chances. So, I booked a taxi and took him to a hospital. It was around 8 pm then. They took him into the emergency room and asked me to wait outside.
My heart was racing with fear, more so because outside there was another family whose father had just passed away in the same emergency room and they were mourning. This added to my dread. I hoped and prayed that there was nothing serious with my father. After some time, the doctor called me in and said that my father was fine and it was just a catch that had caused the chest pain.
What a relief it was for me!
It was pretty late at night when we got back home. I could not hold back my tears as I thanked God that night in my prayers that my father did not have to stay in the hospital on Christmas night.
I began to feel the positive vibrations that I had gathered at Sara’s house. The prayerful ambience of her home had rubbed off on me too. I began to feel the grace of God descending on me and my father. I felt that God had removed the distress that I was feeling, and by His making my father well, I felt God’s mercy.
While I strongly believe in the power of prayer, I also believe that Sara’s Christmas tea had spiritually energized me to handle the challenge I had to face at the hospital that night. Words cannot express this here. It can only be felt in the heart!
That Christmas of 2018 will remain as a positive memory with me, a holy night and a silent night with my old father sleeping at home on his bed at home and not on a hospital bed!
I wish all my friends celebrating Christmas this year (2021) a very peaceful and blessed time!
May all creatures in this world stay safe and healthy!
Amen! Ameen!
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