I guess I was thinking too much about darkness and light and angels because I almost walked right into a branch. Behind me， the daughter of the woman living with cancer helped her mother down the steps. They were laughing and holding hands. I remembered that Emily Dickinson’s poem about finding our way.
The Bravest
Grope a little—
And sometimes hit a Tree
Directly in the Forehead—
But as they learn to see
Either the Darkness alters—
Or something in the sight
Adjusts itself to Midnight—
And Life steps almost straight.
I found my headlamp， turned it on and picked up the pace. But a friend called for me to wait， to help her see the way， and so we walked together， back to the road and back to our cars and back to our homes， grateful for the love of friends， parents， husbands， children and all the many， many blessings of this life.
我总觉得今年的圣诞节有些奇怪，还得准备一个星期。可能是因为这氛围看上去像3月份，而不是12月，一切都显得沉闷，令人心烦。
星期六早上，我把圣诞音乐的音量调到最大，吵醒丈夫和孩子们，让他们帮忙打扫卫生。我们收拾房间，吸尘、拖地。丈夫修剪圣诞树，使其大小与房间相宜，我挂上彩灯做装饰，然后搬出木质的圣诞老人，在壁炉上放一排。
快到中午时，家里看起来有些圣诞节的气氛了。我独自冲出家门，去天堂海湾，参加一个“女士午茶”的聚会。我打开头上的小型照明灯，沿着车道走，还没有听见嗡嗡的发动机声，就远远看见房屋上闪耀的灯光。在手工建造的房子里，我们的女主人在桌子上已经摆好了她母亲的陶瓷茶杯，蜡烛已在窗台上的玻璃杯中燃烧。
邀请函建议我们都戴上聚会时的帽子，有一半的女人戴了。把聚会改成喝茶，我们大多数人都很高兴，大家都太忙了，“准备好过圣诞节了吗？”几乎成了所有谈话的开端，接着就是抱怨没有做好准备。我们甚至突发奇想，如果哪一年不过圣诞节，不知会发生什么事。