The meaning...

Thursday 24th December, 2020

A glorious pink, gold and yellow plus an azure blue sky welcomed me to this new day. I managed to get to Mass with only five others. I shall be streaming over Christmas as limited numbers in churches makes me hand over to others, especially families.

The morning was mainly a time of packing for the landlady of the house. We are to spend tonight and tomorrow night with her daughter. It is only four miles away, a large airy house so no close contacts necessary. The dining room table can seat at least twelve if not fourteen so we will be well spaced. It is also all legal as some medical relationship allows closer supervision. Whatever we are sensible people and will do all that is recommended even to the point of open windows!

I managed to get out for over an hour's walk just after midday. The butcher had a queue of seventeen, the baker one of ten and there seemed to be much activity of car filling and packing as I walked through. I took my now much beloved litter grabber as I went on the walk. Top scorers today were cigarette packets and masks! Five Tesco bags filled and emptied. A couple sitting in their car outside a cafe clapped and offered me coffee and cake. A few others noted and smiled but most ignored. I have an imagination and I assume they were commenting on the poor old man shuffling along or the tramp looking for food or money or the mentally disturbed senepectae pottering about distractedly. It was quite a challenging walk and I felt well spent and with muscles aching on my return.

The daughter had arrived and a hour was spent packing, re packing, consulting about packing and then unpacking and panicking that the wrong packages had been packed. I lay down on my bed but did not have a cold compress but did feel like comfort eating.

When the landlady had left I rang a few friends and then dived under my bed to unwrap my secret parcels. One I knew had my favourite chocolate bars in it...in under an hour I had eaten two bars and as I write I feel happy, replete and with the joys of life whizzing before me. I know that the Christmas tree is being erected and decorated over in Dundee. I am waiting until all that has been done and I shall appear. Until then I shall enjoy my silence and aloneness.

Somewhere in the background I hear rumours of Brexit trade agreements. I hope the Good Will promised to all men at the birth of Jesus is being extended to all Europeans and Brussels bureaucrats. After my chocolate indulgence I sense that good will. Yet I must not forget the stable and story of the birth of Jesus does remind us of hell on earth and poverty for many. Philip Pullman wrote 'after nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the things we need most in the world'. The Christmas story is one such dazzling, inspirational, hope filled story but let us remember it does not preclude the need for nourishment, companionship and shelter which many millions of people do not have. Surely we can extend good will to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and welcoming the foreigner. Yes, I should share my chocolate.