Article December 23, 2002 Issue

A gathering of light

Sarah C. Nelson

Very late one Christmas night I heard an inspiring story on the car radio. It was broadcast on a station I don't often listen to, but the young woman's story held me captive.

One Christmas, several years before, her family, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents—young and old—were asked to gather in a large room of the house where they were celebrating. Each person was asked to take a seat and hold a single candle, not yet lit.

Then someone turned out the lights. Out of the darkness, a voice asked one of the men in the group to begin by telling the rest of them about something he was really grateful for. It could be about another person, or an event, but it had to be about something good. After sharing a story of gratitude with the others, this person was to light his or her candle. Then the next person was to do the same, all the way around the room.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

The last pair of roller skates