TheBanyanTree: THIS BRIGHT AND SHINY STAR OF CHRISTMAS

[Sharon Mack]

THIS BRIGHT AND SHINY STAR OF CHRISTMAS

Armistice was simple folk.  She worked in the mailroom at the school
and was well liked by most folks.  Those that didn't like her either
did not know her or were just ugly in their soul.  She had a husband and
one grown son.  At one time while attending school he worked with her as
work-study.  He was a good representation of his mother, red-haired and
freckled and easy to like.  He's gone on now to bigger and better
things.  He works for the United States Post Office. 

Armistice's greatest talent was for peacemaking amongst the highly
political and rat-racing staff.  There would be tears and hard feelings
but Armistice, with her knack for understanding and her undying
compassion, could always bring the offending parties to shame and
reunite the broken trust between whomever it was that was at odds.  They
trusted her and trusted her quiet ways.

Armistice liked to laugh.  She loved a good joke and we'd had many
between us through the years.  We sent them via email when we couldn't
get away from our offices and then laugh later at what we'd sent.  She
always made me feel at home, even when I was new.  When they placed me
in the office next to the mailroom she made a big deal out of the fact
that I was her "neighbor."  To this day, Armistice walks by each
morning rolling her mail cart and says, "Hi neighbor!"  It makes my
morning.  I've been here for ten years.

This year Christmas came slow to our work-staff.  All of the parties
and decorations just couldn't seem to budge the low, gray cloud that
hung over us.  No one said much but it was there, like a fog that
wouldn't lift.  You could hear it in the sighs and the complaints
about the weather.  The rain didn't do much to boost the mood quality.
 We went through the motions.  Sent our cards, planned the office
parties, put up the meager decorations.  No one even commented on them.

A week before our winter break Armistice came in carrying a big white
plastic bag.  It was filled with some mysterious items that brought a
mysterious smile to Armistice's lips.  Her eyes twinkled and she was
definitely excited.  When asked what was up she mysteriously answered,
"I have a plan!" and giggled behind her boney fingers.

For two days she brought in white bags full of something mysterious. 
Everyone was talking and wondering.  Had Armistice finally gone over the
edge?  The bags piled up in the corner of her mailroom.  No one could go
near them.  She held everyone at bay.

It was amazing to see the change in the staff.  It was like they were
children again.  A mystery at Christmastime!  A secret in big white
bags!  Something good enough to make Armistice smile and giggle.  The
mood immediately improved.  Everyone was talking.  Everyone was
speculating.  

Finally, on the 23rd of December, our last day at work the mystery was
revealed.  With red sock hat on and dressed in a bright green sweater
she began to make her mail deliveries.  Sitting atop the mail cart were
the big white bags.  As she dropped off the daily mail for the last time
that day, she delivered to each and every person an ornament.....a
bright and shiny Christmas star she called it.  Some were made with
pearls and small shiny beads, others with glitter and sequins, all
beautiful and all hand made.  

As we made ready to leave that day each of us carefully wrapped our
star with napkins or any kind of soft paper we could find but not before
we had showed each other our amazing gifts.  No two were alike. 
Armistice said she made them that way because no two of us were alike. 
We were all different but we all were stars in our own right.

Armistice was simple folk but she had a heart that glowed and captured
each one of us in her light.