Wednesday 14 December 2011

Merry Christmas to a Stranger


Strange thoughts have been running through my head these past few days.  I’ve been thinking of a man I’ve not even met. Although I know he exists because I have seen him - twice.

It all started in the summer at a big Christian conference called New Wine, in a seminar about bereavement.

Now there was a bit of a standing joke between me and my friends that I would be attending the seminars on “bereavement” and “being a single parent” with my eyes WIDE open looking for an unattached man.  I’m not really so predatory but having had my marriage snatched unexpectedly away I know that I want to one day be part of a couple again.  It seemed a good place to start looking.

So there’s this man that caught my eye.  It’s a cliché but yes, tall, dark and handsome.  He sat a few rows in front of me to my left and my eyes naturally wandered in his direction - quite often.

I have good eyesight and spotted he had a wedding ring on so maybe he is married but then I still wear my ring too.  It is complete conjecture that he was at the seminar because he had lost his wife.  In lots of ways I hope he is still happily married, the pain of losing a loved one is so great I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

When the seminar ended he disappeared but I saw him once more the same day.

I was walking in one direction with the boys as he walked the other, with a young girl who I assume was his daughter.  Both of us happily chatting to our kids but as our paths crossed our eyes did meet for the briefest of moments almost registering some sort of connection.

Then I never saw him again and maybe I never will.

But wherever you are and whoever you may be I pray that you have the most wonderful of Christmases and are surrounded with love and happy memories, especially if you are alone.

Perhaps one day we will meet up for real and not just in my daydreams.

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