Mary’s boy child.

Sun. 24.12.23.

My dear fellow book lovers, recently, on my walks, I’ve been thinking of the day which many look forward to, yet others dread because they’re lonely. As I strolled, strange words began stirring in my head. They stood up, slowly, then suddenly, threw their arms around and began stomping and shouting. “Tell them, tell them.”

“I’m afraid,” I whimpered. “It’s Christmas, no one wants to hear stuff like this.”

“Yes, I know, you’s de Biggest Coward In De World. You always telling everybody that,” the words laughed.

Massive fight bruk loose, me and the words roll on de ground. Dust surround we in a huge ball like in de cartoons. Then words stand up over me and haul me up.

“Speak!”

Taking deep breaths. Nervous. Dear fellow book lovers, here's what the words want me to write.

Beloved Maryam,

I am moved in ways I can’t explain every time I read, from this ancient, beautiful book, this passage about you and the birth of your child.

…the pains of labour drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She cried, “Alas! I wish I had died before this, and was a thing long forgotten!”

So a voice reassured her from below her, “Do not grieve! Your Lord has provided a stream at your feet.

And shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you, it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you.

So eat and drink, and put your heart at ease.”

Ahhh, Maryam, I think about you isolated, in pain, then wrapping your precious baby in a sheet to keep him warm.

Thank you for your courage, because, through you, Maryam, daughter of Imran, the world was given a legacy of kindness and peace, your son.

Many acknowledge that tomorrow is not his real birthday; many will say, Awww, what the heck, one party is as good as another. There will be eating, drinking and revelry. Probably debauchery too.

But what would your son say, dear Maryam, what would he, the one who adored children, what would he say when he looks upon the innocent ones, victims of war, the children, cold and stiff, wrapped in sheets?

I keep remembering how, as a man, he overturned the tables in that story I read as a child.