A Christmas Journey

The news on the TV wasn't good . The headlines in the daily papers were the same . Johnny was so sick of hearing all the bad news that he felt like running away and hiding somewhere in a cave in a huge mountain where nobody could ever find him until Christmas . In fact Johnny was so worried about all the doom and gloom he started to think that it might even ruin the joy of Christmas. He just couldn't allow that to happen and so he made his mind up that he would go out into the world all talk to people about his fears .
Maybe other people could help him on his quest to save Christmas from getting spoilt .
On a cold winters morning Johnny packed a bag with food and a change of clothes and set off on foot , Johnny walked down the road towards the forest .
It was snowing heavily now and Johnny found shelter inside a woodcutters hut . Inside the hut, firewood was stacked to the roof and a fire blazed in the hearth . Johnny went over and sat down beside the fire .
Suddenly the back door opened and Johnny jumped up like a bolt of lightening to his feet . Standing in front of him was this big man wearing a red Jacket and holding a huge axe in his hand . In his other arm was a bundle of firewood , The woodcutter placed the axe and wood down in the corner of the room and looked over at Johnny who almost froze in fright .
The man burst out in a loud peal of laughter ,
"Ho! Ho! Ho ! Well, hello young man " he said .
 Have you come to warm your hands and feet then "
Johnny was more relaxed now and smiled .

"No sir " Said Johnny
"I am on a mission to save Christmas from being eaten up by all the gloom and doom in the world ".
"Have you now . That's a big job. You better have some of this then

The large man ran his big hands through his thick white beard and looked at Johnny . He lifted a mug from the table and crossed over to the fireplace where he scooped some steaming hot chocolate from the big iron pot that hung on the spit over the flames . He handed Johnny the mug and said ,

"My name is Nicolas . I've lived around these parts all my life and I've never heard of any gloom and doom . Maybe you could tell me about it.

Johnny took the mug and slowly sipped the hot chocolate.
"Mmm this is very nice sir "Said Johnny and as he looked up at the kind mans face, he took a deep breath and said .
"Well Mr Nicolas , don't you watch the TV
No " came the reply .
"Don't you read the newspapers.
"No"
"Well Mr Nicolas then you don't know about all the terrible things going on .in the world today "

Johnny waited for a reply but the big man just smiled and pointed outside "The snow has stopped now and its time for you to be on your way young man . Have a nice journey ."
Johnny smiled and walked out the front door of hut .
He looked back and Nicolas waved goodbye . Johnny made his way through the forest and ended up on a long and straight road that seemed to go on forever . As he walked down the road he met an old man who was bent over in pain . Johnny stopped and somehow words uncontrollably ushered out from his mouth ..
"I know of a place where pain can never hurt you anymore. "
The old man looked at Johnny and said ,
"Tell me please it that place very far from here?.
Johnny said ,
"Well it's much closer than it was before we met. 
Johnny kept on walking and further on down the road he met a blind man who found it hard to see .
"Hello. said Johnny .
The blind man said,
" Hello there, its dark again today .Tell me. Am I heading the right way towards the forest, and is my face clean.?.
Johnny looked at the blind man and began to shed a tear .
The blind mans face was filthy and unshaven . There were cuts and bruises all over it, from either having falls or being beaten up .
Johnny had a lump in his throat and found it hard to speak ,
He took out a clean white hanky and with the water from his tears he wiped
the dirt from the blind mans face .

Suddenly along the road came a deaf man who couldn't hear.
"Help me please . Many people want to cause me grief and harm.
"What can I do to help ? said Johnny .
But the deaf man couldn't hear .

Johnny reached out his hand to another man who walked down the road towards him . This man had only got one arm .
 Help me please . I'm carrying a gift for a child and it is so heavy ".
Johnny took the large box from the one armed man and said ,
"How far have you got to carry this box ?
."No further " came the reply .
"The gift is for you my boy."
Johnny watched as the man with one arm grew a set of wings .
The man now looked like an angel and flew off into the sky .

Suddenly from out of the sky a large red sleigh wafted through the snow clouds pulled by a dozen reindeers . The sleigh set down on the road in front of Johnny .
"Hello Santa  Johnny screamed .
Santa got out of the sleigh and looked deeply into Johnny's eyes .
"Ho! Ho! Ho! You received my gift then ."
"You mean this one in my hands Said Johnny .

"Of course, aren't you going to open it up " Said Santa
"Ok Santa 
Johnny ripped off all the wrapping paper and lifted off the lid from the box .
Suddenly music and laughter sounded and angels flew out of the box .
The angels went spiralling into the air and Santa said in a strong voice ,
"Johnny this year you have helped to bring joy into the world .
Your gift is now shared all over the world, and doom and gloom is a thing that has been crushed . The light of Christmas will shine forever and people will be touched by its message , The joy of Christmas will be shared by all . The sick, the blind, the deaf. All cannot escape the blessing of this wonderful day "

Johnny was astounded ,
"I feel so lucky Santa to have this gift to share. Thank you ."

As he looked up at Santa's face, Johnny could see the woodcutter and the blind man , and all the people that he had met on the journey .

"You must give before you receive " Said Santa and he continued ,
"You have given so much and now receive the joy that you deserve ."
Santa touched Johnny on the right shoulder and then the left shoulder and that very moment Johnny was propelled into the sky and through time itself.
His feet landed outside the manger door . As Johnny peeped inside the manger he saw some other people there, who sat around a small crib .
Baby Jesus sat up and looked over and smiled at Johnny .
In that very second Johnny had a vision of the future when war would be no more and pain and suffering would be gone .
Johnny realised that the message Jesus had shown him was of a time to come and the world could endure even though at times the doom and gloom, threatened to overtake .
Johnny was filled with gracein that magic moment and he began to pray,
"Praise the lamb of God who is King, born on Christmas day .

'Wake up Johnny. Wake Up! Its Christmas day .
Johnny's sister was so excited . "
Johnny! Johnny, come on wake up look what I got .
She held up a picture of a Christmas scene . In the picture there was a road with lots of people on it . There were angels as well in the picyure hovering above the road .
Johnnys Mother walked into the bedroom and handed him a small box ,
"Happy Christmas son.
Johnny opened up the box and inside was a toy sailing boat.
Johnny held up the boat and smiled .
His Dad came into the bedroom with a friendly face and sang a happy song ,
"I saw a ship come sailing in on Christmas Day in the morning.

THE END

By Paul McCann