I’d like you all to close your eyes and imagine yourself in your own home. You realize it’s garbage night and you haven’t taken the trash out yet! Just one more thing to do you mumble as you shrug on a coat and head out with that last bag of trash for early morning pick up.

You set the first can on the curb and start grumbling under your breath when you hear the jingling of bells. Those darn bell ringers looking for still more donations. Don’t they know there’s a limit to how much you can give? So many needy, so many wanting and you just can’t do it all. What is it they want from you anyway? You pick up another can of trash and set it none too gently on the curb. As it hits with a thud you realize the bells are getting closer. “Great, now they’re coming door to door!” Wham goes another can on the curb.

You turn to trudge back into the house and realize that the jingling sound is now coming from very nearby… you feel a whoosh of wind pushing against your back, …then…the jingling STOPS

You draw in a deep breath and turn, not quite sure what to expect next. There in front of you, on the other side of ALL THAT TRASH sits a large sleigh. You blink your eyes in disbelief when you look past the trash and see that it’s being drawn by REINDEER! You count the reindeer…1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…and chuckle a little as you think well, at least they got that right.

Your gaze is drawn back to the sleigh where you find a smiling old man with a long white beard. He’s dressed all in red with shiny black boots and a glittering gold buckle on his belt. You look into his face and his sparkling eyes meet yours. Those eyes! They look so familiar to you… where have you seen them before?

With a wink, the man slides over and pats the seat next to him, gesturing for you to get in the sleigh. You shrug your shoulders and shake your head and figure what the heck, if you’re loosing your mind you might as well go all the way. You clamber into the sled and pull the heavy blanket the man offers you over your legs.

The man shakes the reins in his hands and the sleigh takes off down your street with a jolt. The crisp wind created by its speed causes you to draw in your breathe deeply… you feel a tingling all the way down to your feet as that breath takes oxygen to places that haven’t been getting much lately.

Suddenly you realize that the sleigh isn’t on the ground anymore… Soon the treetops and rooftops are below you and you are surrounded by a deep indigo sky… Above you is a sliver of silvery gold moon brightening the sky, surrounded by glimmering silver white stars… You try to remember the last time you saw them so brightly…so clearly...

As you bring your focus back to the sleigh you remember the driver next to you. He smiles at you as your body begins to relax… becoming comfortable in the magic surrounding you. ...

As your relaxed gaze takes him in you blink, and look again… It seems as if your companion is glowing… you continue to watch; tuning into his movements… the glow seems to grow with his breath.

You become aware of his soft blowing exhale that seems to trickle down onto each of the rooftops below in a shimmering cascade. At times you are certain you can see sparkles swirling down into the chimneys as you pass overhead.

You find your own breaths matching those of the man in red...

 

As you breath in you feel the glow building and surrounding you… You begin to experiment with your own out breath, marveling in the gentleness of the shimmering sparkles as they swirl to meet those of your escort.

Softness…gentleness…light…LOVE…slowly floating downward as a gift to those below.

Your guide turns to meet your eyes, winking and nodding his head with approval.

The two of you continue to breathe in unison.

The sleigh gradually descends, landing quietly outside your home. Slowly you remove the blanket that has kept you so cozy and climb from the sleigh… exchanging a smile with the bearded man.

You pass the empty trash cans on the curb and turn to wave but find that the sleigh is already gone.

Inside the house you hang up your red coat and sit down to remove your shiny black boots before heading off to bed.

As you pass by the mirror, you smile at the one with the sparkling eyes…the eyes that look so familiar...