Christmas dawned and from oaken home in hide of the woods, they stared out upon winter trees. Fine shadowed lines of naked limbs silhouetted in the sky, its orange flame light as last before dawn, burn-follow to the lavender fair and fuchsia glows painted to undersides of high wisped clouds and sky between, alchemized into become of gold transfigured in arrive of the Christmas sun.
Lawn beneath transfigured same, its silver frost in first-light gleam into full glory in transfigure-touch and Wonder-change of arrived sun.
Silent, together, they watched procession of the revelation: mystery in the wait, whole splendor of the glory, into hiding once again: common blue of after sky and plain of world subdued and masking the true of hosanna’s spirit.
When wonder masked and the glory passed, they gazed still on the Christmas woods, the naked of the limbs in soft wind stirred in earth’s warming from the sun.
Within the home, they brought few gifts: kept fire in hearth through cold of the night, a blanket that they shared, a Bible—Douay Rheims—of gold-leafed pages flecked in wear and use and burgundy leather cover that matched romance hue of chair beside the open of hearth where they loved in the heat and light.
Their gifts were not material. Their gifts were spirit—presence and love—and of their gifts, they learned another: hope.
Like sun, hope colored. Like sun, hope warmed—transfigured world and dreams in beauty-splendor of a glory.
Then when moment of glory passed—sun rising on, life common again—remembered visions of the glory seen sustained their faith through the common times when life and love seemed less.
Sun rose on into common of blue. Long shadows stayed, thin and fine, in cast of the winter woods. Within the home, sanctuaried walls, they kindled hearth again to full and on chair and floor before, holding to gift of presence, loved in vision of their hope; transfigure-touch restoring spirit to wonder and whole of awe.
Outside, sun ascended white and brilliant as halo blessing in the sky. Even in common, love and the glory shone.