It was just before Christmas when I stumbled upon something magical. My earlier wish was to portray this story as the opening blog of my new web site at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, all had to be delayed until now. A few days before Christmas, on a cold and dark afternoon, I was rushing home from an appointment in Hampstead, London. The avenue, which was lined with tall mature tress and large family homes on both sides, felt deserted. As I rushed on, I noticed an abandoned large bushy plant left outside, leaning against a garden wall. It was a pot of Poinsettia. Its red leaves were strikingly beautiful, even in the dark. Walking on, I couldn’t help myself but worry whether this plant would survive a cold and frosty night. A couple of houses down the Avenue, I had this urge to stop, go back and grab the lonely plant. Meanwhile, thoughts were racing through my mind. Why am I picking this plant? What am I going to do with it? The plant in my hand, I noticed a crack in the pot. Perhaps, this was the reason of its abandonment. Further down the avenue, I saw an elderly gentleman sitting at the bus stop. I offered my plant to him but was refused on the spot. Continuing down the avenue, I turned into a side street. There were again rows of large mansions lining both sides of the street, but no one in sight. Further down the road, I noticed a red pick up truck. As I approached it, I saw a man sitting in the passenger seat. The back of the truck seemed unusually cluttered with tools. The driver outside was gathering what resembled a flask and two cups. The two men were about to go on their way after what appeared like a stop for a tea break. I could not help but notice their thick woollen hats and scruffy jackets. I decided to try my luck and ask if they would be interested in keeping this abandoned plant. I told him that, however lovely it was, since I was going away for a month, keeping the plant in my home would be out of question. The driver took it out of my hand and gave it a good look. He noticed that the pot was broken. He then said he could re-pot it that evening and bring it back to this lady occupying one of those large houses. He also explained that she was the owner of most of the gardens along the street. Earlier that day, she mentioned that she could not be bothered with Christmas this year. I wondered who he was and inquired. He said he was the gardener. At that moment, I knew, we both were messengers! We brought this old lady her Christmas gift. I walked all the way home with a big smile on my face!
Miracles do cross our path everyday, if we care to see…