My Christmas Miracle

Many believe it, others don’t, but have you ever experienced a magical Christmas Eve? I’ll tell you what was for me the Christmas miracle of my life. 46 years ago, I was in Germany doing my military service. I wasn’t allowed to go home for Christmas Eve and I had to spend what must have been for me the saddest Christmas Eve… The barracks were almost empty, it was cold and a thick layer of snow covered the ground. In order not to stay alone in my room, I attended midnight mass (the only one of my life). After mass, the priest invited the small congregation to have a glass of mulled wine to warm us up in his unheated church. I returned to my room alone on this slippery road. Two Dutch-speaking militiamen as desperate as I was came to have a last glass of alcohol to warm us up from the road that had brought us back to our quarters. We didn't understand each other, but our loneliness was palpable. We thought about our loved ones who we certainly missed... One of the two militiamen returned to his room and I found myself alone with the other. Our different languages ​​prevented us from telling each other, from expressing our loneliness... and then the miracle happened. We hugged each other, our bodies expressed themselves. They sought the warmth and hugs that we missed so much in this lonely night... What followed, I won't tell you here, but we spent the rest of the night together... We separated in the early morning, the sun shone in this very cold dawn. In his eyes, I could read a feeling of thanks mixed with a little embarrassment... He didn't like men and I didn't know it yet... At the time of our separation, I noticed that he had the beauty of James Dean. We saw each other again later, but without mentioning that magical moment that had brought us together so closely and so awkwardly on that unique night... For 46 years, every December 24th I remember those few hours spent in the arms of this handsome Antwerp man whose name I have even forgotten, but not the face and body that had thrilled me... It was my only Christmas night when a real miracle happened...