“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the past, present, and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” ~ Charles Dickens

Twinkling red and green lights encircle the vast main room of the armory. Holiday decorations are scattered around the large open space. Tables line the walls full of Christmas eats, treats, and goodies.

In the far corner, Santa is set up, sitting atop his sleigh, greeting the awestruck innocent smiles and sparkling faces of the children lined up to sit on his lap and abide him with their Christmas wish.

There was a time when I would’ve thought this was overkill. But today, I find that it’s absolutely perfect. Just like my life.

Five years have passed since I’ve set foot in this little town of Lakeview. Five years ago, I walked away with a hardened heart because of Ella. Today, I’m a different man.

Happiness and love drown my emotions as I glance down at the hand squeezing mine. My Holly. She graces me with her lovely impish expression, and I once again thank God for how blessed I am to have her.

Literally slamming smack-dab into Holly again at the mall was like listening to a song for the first time, knowing it would be my favorite. She showed me how love can be when someone cares for another with a whole heart, not pieces and parts. It’s a miracle we bumped into each other, precisely what the doctor needed. And I’ll never let her go.

My gaze travels around the room to the other families crowded inside. Couples with their children moving around with excitement from the festivities going on. My comrades from years of service in Afghanistan have all come together for a Christmas reunion. A coming together we all pledged to have every two years, just like our service contracts before we had to re-up. This time around, it’s in Lakeview.

“Michael?” The tender voice comes from behind me, and I feel a gentle tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see the woman I once loved. The woman from my past.

For the first time, the twinge of heartache at seeing her doesn’t grip me.

“Ella. Hello.” I watch as she darts her eyes to Grayson and shifts the small child in her arms.

“Barnes,” Grayson addresses me and holds out his hand, extending a peace offering.

I don’t hesitate. I shake his hand, overwhelmed by the feelings I thought would be present but are no longer there.

“Captain Blackwood. Good to see you both.” I honestly feel the meaning behind my words. We all went through a great deal during our time of service in the Middle East. The camaraderie for other brothers-in-arms overshadows the angst and pain from that particular time.

“Please, just Grayson,” he offers.

“How have you been?” Ella regards my little fairy standing beside me, and I realize that I haven’t introduced her. Caught off guard seeing them.

“Oh, where are my manners? This is my beautiful wife, Holly. Holly, these are Ella and Grayson Blackwood.”

Holly’s slender hand reaches out to shake hands with Ella and then Grayson.

“Nice to meet you both. I’ve heard so many stories.”

“All good, I hope?” Ella nervously inquires.

“Of course,” Holly remarks as she rubs her protruding belly that looks as if a torpedo has been inserted into her abdomen. One would never realize she’s pregnant from behind because of her small stature. The only place she’s gained weight is her stomach, where our baby is brewing.

“Congratulations, Michael. We’re both so glad to see you happy.”

“Thank you, Ella. Actually, it’s you I need to thank. I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time.” I pause and collect my thoughts. “Because of you, I met my Holly. The best Christmas gift a man like me could’ve possibly wished for. I appreciate her and you for pushing me her way.”

Ella and Grayson look at each other, bewildered by my comments. Then understanding dawns in Ella’s expression. The gentleness in her eyes informs me of her awareness. She always was a smart little cookie.

She reaches out and wraps Holly up in a huge hug. It hits me like a ton of bricks. My life has come full circle as my face breaks out into a smile. The kind of smile that makes your cheeks hurt at the same time, because it’s so full of joy and happiness.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice an elaborately styled, grey-haired woman, and I turn in that direction to get a better view.

Pivoting back, I regard Holly and Ella deep in conversation when I announce, “Can you excuse me for a moment? I’ll be right back.”

“Sure, babe. Just hurry back. Bring me some Figgie pudding, too, will ya? I’ve got a major craving for some of that gooey goodness,” Holly asks in a hurry, and her cheeks turn a deep shade of pink. So beautiful.

“Sure thing, pixie. I’ll be right back.” I lean over to capture her warm lips in a quick kiss.

I make a beeline to the corner of the room where the older woman is standing, smiling and watching the merrymaking.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” I tell her and come to stand beside the beautiful grandma as I lean up against the wall, crossing my arms in a relaxed stance.

“Well, now. If I weren’t a tough old cookie, you could give a woman a complex with that kinda comment, young man,” she playfully teases, and the creases at the sides of her eyes frame a merry twinkle, expressing the warmth and jest in her judgement.

“Do you have family here? Or are you just wandering through?” I’m searching for an explanation of her whereabouts that have bugged me over the years.

“Ah, you know me, I’m here or there, everywhere.” She glances up and winks mischievously. “It seems everything turned out just fine for you, Michael.” Her brow rises, indicating where Holly is chatting away with newfound friends.

“That is correct. I never dreamed how happy I could be after Ella. Thanks for the friendly advice. It was just what I needed,” I reflect.

“Ya see, I told you, once you let go and just lived, everything would fall into place. I’m glad you found your happily ever after, son. You deserved it.”

“I appreciate that.” For a brief moment, I look at all my friends and family. The constant reminder that Christmas is a time of fellowship with the ones we love, as well as a time of forgiveness. I’ve learned so much from my Holly. “It’s true what’s said about learning from the past to live in the present, in order to have a great future. It was a hard lesson at the time, but it all worked out in the end.”

“That’s right, honey. Things happen for a reason. It’s not the things that happened to us in the past that define us, but how we use the knowledge from it and move forward. You’ve got this, sugar. It’s smooth sailing from here.” Her voice trails off.

The wisdom in her words resounds inside my heart. There’s no truer statement. “I never caught your name?” I glance back at an empty space. Where’d she run off to this time?

Surveying the crowd, I search for the elderly woman to no avail.

“Who was that?” Grayson’s voice stirs me from my search.

“What?”

“Who was that you were just talking to? Man, she looked awfully familiar to me.”

“Just an old woman whom I’ve run into from time to time. I never caught her name.”

“She looked just like my… nah. It couldn’t have been her, though. Never mind.”

Grayson appears shaken up, and I don’t understand his meaning.

“What are you talking about, Grayson?”

His lips quirk up and he replies, “Tis the season for Christmas miracles. I just thought, maybe.”

“I’m not following, Grayson. In English, please.”

He pulls out an old photo from his wallet and hands it to me. As I look at the woman in the photograph, I’m shocked by the face that stares lovingly at me.

“Who is this? It looks just like the woman…” I can’t finish my thought because it’s just too unbelievable to be true.

“That is my grandmother, Matilda Blackwood.”

“But I know she’s been dead for years. Ella told me that much. Maybe she has a twin no one knew about?” I chuckle from the newest revelation of this crazy situation.

“Could be. Or it could be grandma is at it again. Even up in heaven she’s in the thick of things. She never was one to let things go.”

“A Christmas miracle, huh?”

“Well, I guess we’ll never know. Merry Christmas, Michael.” Grayson pats me on the shoulder and turns to walk away.

“You too, Grayson.”

Damn. I can’t even be mad at him anymore. I’m thankful he did what he did, because I wouldn’t have the life I have today if it weren’t for him coming back into Ella’s life and taking her away from me.

Thinking back to the mysterious encounters with the older lady, I was the only one to see her, so was Holly. Except this time. Could it be I was visited by the ghost of Matilda Blackwood? Was she stirring the pot like I’ve heard she was famous for, or was she guiding me to my best future? A guardian angel.

I am convinced that Christmas is a magical time, no matter who you are. Gifts are given, and lives are changed during this most wonderful time of the year. I, for one, have been reworked by the beauty of the season. Believe it or not, ‘tis the season of love.

This is my life, and I will cherish it forever.