In the middle of the party, Fred stopped the music and shouted, “It’s time to open the presents. But this time I will not be the first one to give out the gifts I bought. Because we have a mysterious businessman who anonymously sent us many gifts, coincidentally with the number of people in our house. But let me tell you that my heart knows that the mysterious man is called Ebenezer! Uncle Ebenezer, I give you the honor of being the first one to deliver the gifts. And I must add that we have no gift to give you this Christmas because we did not know that you would be here with us, but tomorrow I will personally take your Christmas gift to your office.”
Continue reading “THE FOURTH SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS (Part VII)”
Ebenezer walked slowly. He didn’t know what time it was. Although he could discern that it was already past noon, he did not think about how much time He had used on Christmas Day because He did not want to feel limited or restricted by time, He wanted to enjoy that day December 25 to the fullest. He had already been a slave to time and work for many years. Ebenezer wisely repeated to himself that the coming years would be different because he would live them with joy in his heart and although he did not know how many more years he had left of life, he knew that in the years to come, he would live them fully, without selfishness, without resentment , without bitterness in the soul and without worrying too much about the future since the spirits had taught him that the future does not belong to us and is uncertain.
While walking Ebenezer, kept the images of the man and his family under the bridge in his head, just as the spirit of Christmas Present had shown him the night before. When he reached the bridge, he could recognize it immediately; without hesitation, he began to descend the steep path in search of that man. As Ebenezer was under the bridge, he encountered terrible sights that could easily reach the heart of any sensitive person to human pain and thought,
Ebenezer made a mental list of the visits he would make and while walking down the street, he met three men who a few days earlier had asked for a donation for the shelters of the town that protected the homeless, the elderly and orphans throughout the year. The three men, facing Ebenezer, ignored him and continued walking. Then Ebenezer turned around, raising his right hand, shouted at them, “Gentlemen, I would like to talk with you for a moment.” The three men stopped and looking into each other’s eyes, nodding their heads as to say okay.
Since I was a child, I’ve liked cooking and modifying cooking recipes to give them a very personal touch and somehow, I always convert the recipes into original combinations of ingredients and flavors creating my own particular style of preparing them. On this occasion I want to share with you a recipe, which I’ve given the name of “Maria Amelia”, as a tribute to a great woman. She was an example in many aspects of life and she touched the lives of many people. I’ve used this recipe every Christmas season to prepare “María Amelia Cake”, and whenever I do, I remember how Maria Amelia ate almost the entire cake and with a jovial smile she told me, “You are to blame for making it so good, it’s perfect!, and then she asked ; “Could I take a little piece for Papa?, that as usual he had decided to stay at home”. So, every time I baked, I would make a special cake just for her and since it has been a few days since her passing I want to say that her joy and sweetness will become infused in the flavor of this cake. Even though this Christmas season will be the first of many in which Maria Amelia will not be eating the cake.
From then on, my daughters’ attitude changed completely, they were almost always in a bad mood and rebellious. They started to answer back with sass every time I scolded them, they rejected the food I was making for them and they also began to complain about everything. Their behavior towards my girlfriend became derogatory and disrespectful. Every time they misbehaved, they ran into their bedrooms and hid and if I followed them, my little naughty girl would get in the way and blocked me, by standing in the middle of the hallway.
The following days were very quiet, the atmosphere in the house was full of joy all day with a big difference, since I took the picture from the attic and placed it in my room, she began to walk freely throughout the house regardless of whether it was day or night. When my daughters did their homework in the living room (sitting on the floor). She was also there by the side of the coffee table, watching as my daughters wrote or drew on their notebooks. When we gathered to share in what we call “Family Home Evening ” she sat on the smallest chair in a corner and smiled as she watched us talk and play.
In my dreams it seemed as if I was floating in the dark. Without knowing exactly where I was, I began to move across until I reached an unknown path where my body was part of the wind that moved the leaves of the trees, the sensation was fascinating because I was floating, the floor covered with stones and suddenly she was holding my hand, her black eyes were wide and round, her white skin with tiny mouth with puckered lips, her nose puffed but perfectly aligned with the shape of her face and her hair a mix of brown and blonde. 
EMOTIONS AND PAPER STRIPS 