Happy smiles in Winter blues

It is Christmas season and the streets of London are abundantly alive with keen shoppers and Christmas carols spilling in and out of our favourite department stores. The gloomy days and rainy season do little to put off people like myself, determined to get that last minute Christmas present for the one I love. 

On this occasion, I was actually heading home after meeting a friend for lunch. I take a wrong turning and rather than to go back the way I came from, I thought it would be a good idea to explore. A couple more turnings later... I had no idea where I was... but found myself next to a park staring at a Christmas tree. I smiled. Christmas trees always make me smile and think of happy memories. 

The park itself was deserted. I walked closer to the tree and sat down on the bench to the left of the tree. As I sat, I watched people walking past on the street. I was half dozing and wondering where these people were going. I wondered where home would be for them, and whether they were all looking forward to Christmas as much as I was. 

After a while, I realised I wasn't alone on the bench. Someone was sat next to me. I turned to my right to take a better look. A beautiful regal looking young lady wearing an interesting combination of floral print, was sat next me, staring at the people walking past on the street - just as I was a few moments ago. In all her beauty, I could do little but stuttered a hello. 

She told me that she had been watching me and thought that I might like some company. We chatted for a while. I of course apologised and explained that I didn't see anyone in the park before. Although I will never be able to explain how I didn't notice her when I first sat down.

She must be one of the happiest people I've ever met in my life. I asked her whether she came here often, and she said she was always here. Even when people don't notice her. She loves being able to make people smile and see snapshots of people's happy memories. She tells me that everyone leaves behind something when they see Christmas trees, and she goes round collecting what people have left behind. 

I ask her what she's collected and she tells me... "that moment people's faces light up when they see me, and the snapshot of fond family gatherings". Confused, I asked her what she meant. She turned to face me and said,

"I am a guardian of this tree. I don't exist properly in your human realm. But I watch you all from afar. I am always here but you might not always see me. My role is to collect moments of joy during Christmas."

Of course, being an inquisitive human, I asked her what she did with those moments of joy she collected. With that, she started to fade. She smiled at me and completely vanished. The last words I heard from her were,

"My name is Hope. I turn moments of joy into hope and give them to people who need it to get through the cold winter months."

RIP Nelson Mandela

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear"

May you rest in peace to know that the world has learnt greatness, kindness and goodness from you. 

I reminisce

Sometimes people reminisce of the past. We remember the sweet times and the happy memories. I for one was popular once. At the very beginning, I mingled with the most important people in society.

Back then, I learnt so much about the so-called upper class. I knew the girls who were going to the ball. I knew the guys who had mistresses and heard their secret conversations. They told me everything. At the same time, I was very important. I was at the forefront of ground breaking deals and people whispered privileged information to me. They told me everything. I was highly revered by society. I was always there for them, I was dependable. But those are the days of bygones.

As time went by, more and more people accepted me. Maybe it’s because I travelled the world and became more cultured. People from all classes of society started to talk to me, and I learnt so much. They told me everything. It got to a point where every day, people would queue to talk to me. I met so many different people from different countries. Through these people, I felt alive, I felt treasured. I was always there for them, I was dependable. But those are the days of bygones.

Now, people rarely talk to me. Now, I’m unpopular. I’m a no one. Maybe it’s because I travel less now. People started to abandon me, and force me away from their streets. Now, there’s always someone else they can talk to. Someone personal who stays by their side 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and probably even sleeps next to them. Now, people only find me when they’ve been let down by the other one. Now, people only talk to me when they need help, or in emergencies. But I am always there for them, I am dependable.

I was there for my friend Jane when she was stranded because public transport wouldn’t take her home. She was 11, and it was her first day at secondary school. One of her new friends was with her, also stranded. They were stressed out and were comforted when Jane’s parents said they’d pick them up. I stayed by them until Jane’s parents came and watched them drive away.

I was there for Michael when he fell out with the girl he’d been dating for 5 years. He was with me, trying to talk to her about it because she wouldn’t see him. They broke up. He was so heartbroken and cried for so long that it felt like all the tears had drained out of him. I stayed with him all the time and made sure he was safe from the rain outside. I was there until he was ready to go and I watched him walk away.

Every day I watch from my window and stare at the people who walk quickly past. I make sure they’re ok. I make sure they have somewhere to stay if they’ve forgotten their umbrella. When people pause next to me, I wonder if they want to talk. More often than not, they’re just looking for someone else. Once in a blue moon I catch snippets of the latest gossip. But still, I am always there for you, I am dependable. But I reminisce of the past.