Christmas Shorts

Of Lambs and Light

 

The biting chill was no match for affection.

The young boy held the tiny lamb with a pure tenderness, unmatched by the other shepherds. While the adults were no strangers to caring for sheep, the small lad had a special bond with the frail animal that rested in his thin arms.

On the boy's eighth birthday, the lamb had been born – sickly and frail. Despite the physical shortcomings, the boy had taken to it instantly. Likewise, the lamb, in its pure, innocent mind, created an unbreakable bond with the boy.

The lad took great care to give the proper attention to the other sheep he was in charge of; however, in his heart, the little lamb ranked above all others.

As he held the lamb close to his heart that night, the two took comfort in the warmth they provided one another in the shrill cold. The animal's soft, fluffy coat against his hands gave the boy a sense of security, and the lamb felt only safety while nestled in the confident arms of the young shepherd.

The boy watched his wispy breath slowly dissipate into the dark night. The sky was perfectly clear, with countless stars, like thousands of oil lamps silently burning with purpose. All was quiet. All was still.

Even the other sheep, who were usually content with causing a ruckus, stood quietly and serenely in the deep green pastures.

Then, for reasons unknown, the little lamb simply bounded out of the boys arms, and headed straight for the nearby forest.

The boy gawked, frozen stiff with astonishment. The lamb had never leapt from the safety of his hands! That fact alone gave him such a shock, that he stood unmoving for several moments, as the lamb continued its bizarre trek.

Finally coming to his senses, the boy dashed after his precious charge, calling for one of his fellow shepherds to watch the other sheep. The boy headed towards the lamb, shouting for it to stop. The forest was an unknown haven of danger and woe – no place for a small, frail animal.

The lamb seemed not to hear his cries, and continued without wavering, as if on some mission privy only to its own mind. It entered the forest, and the boy followed him into the foliage...

...it was pitch black.

The boy could not see a thing. He stretched out his hands, and staggered about, calling for the lamb.

The darkness was thick – an almost palpable essence in the air. It filled his entire being with dread, as he bumped into trees, and scratched his arms on branches.

The lamb was lost! And now, so was he. The nothingness of the forest consumed him, and he wandered further into hopeless dismay. How far had he gone...how long it had been...? He didn't know, but neither did he care. He couldn't imagine the little lamb shivering in the night, alone and in danger.

He had to find it!

But how could he? The vast forest was treacherous even in the daylight – in the night, it was an impossible task to navigate. The boy knew he couldn't do this on his own...but what hope was there?

Suddenly, a burst of unadulterated, searing white light pierced the air. The boy gasped aloud, as the brightness ascended on the forest, assaulting the darkness with quiet strength. It illuminated the area, and the boy gave a cry of exquisite delight and relief when he laid eyes on his precious lamb.

The tiny animal stood looking up at him with a peculiar calm, as if he knew all along that the boy would find him. Immediately he swooped the soft lamb into his waiting arms, and turned to hurry out of the forest.

The strange, yet welcome light guided him back to the open fields.

When the boy first emerged from the cover of the thick trees, he beheld a sight that dropped him to his knees, still clutching his charge.

There in the sky was an enormous star, giving brilliant light to all around –a beacon of hope to a night filled with worry. There were whispers all over the field, as the other shepherds quaked in awe, wondering what this could mean.

The boy experienced firsthand what it meant – he hugged his lamb closer to him, and whispered into the glorious sky, "A star to light the way..."