Otherwise – A Christmas Story by Ghia Cooley

Hello, Merry Christmas.

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This is Ghia with the creative,

spiritual journey podcast.

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And I am here with a second bonus episode.

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This is not our usual content.

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So if you are new here, please check

out one of our other episodes to

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see what our podcast is all about.

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Weeks ago, I put out a

podcast called where is CoLab?

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You may recall that in this

episode I mentioned the Wiseman.

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And I wondered if any of them

doubted their decision to

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make the journey to Bethlehem.

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The story I want to share with you today.

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I came out of my musings on this question.

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Otherwise.

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Uh, by Ghia Cooley, the villagers

called my U-Mass the wise man,

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because he caught the best fish by

watching the moon and the stars.

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This I knew when I married him

and I was pleased with the match.

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Think of my surprise when

I learned of his visions.

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Um, uh, You should have told me,

your son saw messengers from God.

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She only laughed.

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You were the best of all the

girls at washing for gold.

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I wanted you in my family.

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This was true.

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For generations, my women had

worked on the banks of the river.

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And it was said we had the golden touch.

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But just because I was part of

Alma's household didn't mean she

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got all the fruits of my labor.

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When I had a particularly good day, I

saved a pinch of gold for myself and put

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it in a small pouch under my mattress.

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When the pouch was plump.

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Ooh, mash and I would build our

own home and fill it with babies.

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Afraid U-Mass would be

distracted from our goals.

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I begged him not to tell

a soul about his visions.

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Where's your faith.

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He asked, this is excellent.

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Glorious news.

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I must tell everyone.

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And he did.

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After that I watched alone

at the riverbank for weeks.

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It was only because I found the

best black sand that the other

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women sought me out once more.

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Still I heard they're

mocking words behind my back.

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Nisha's wise, man believes the new start

will announce their arrival of a king.

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There were giggles.

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Yes.

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And he intends to follow the

star until he finds this king.

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I rolled my eyes.

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It didn't matter what they thought.

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But they had said one

thing that troubled me.

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It was the words he

intends to follow the star.

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U-Mass was in the yard, mending his nets.

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When I got home before

he could wish me welcome.

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I threw down my gold

washing boards and blurted.

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Tell me you don't intend

to follow that star.

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I could see by the look on his face.

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It was true.

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But what about me and the babes?

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I cried.

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He reached for me, but I ran to our

room and threw myself on the bed.

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I didn't come down for dinner.

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When U-Mass came up, he stroked my head.

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It will be, well, my love have no worries.

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I wanted to believe him.

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I wanted his faith.

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So I said nothing more still.

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I lamented what would

become of our family.

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But as the moons came and went and the

pouch under my mattress got fatter.

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My belly stayed flat.

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Slowly with time.

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My dreams of children's slipped away.

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And I became resentful of the child.

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U-Mass awaited.

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He insisted I alone was

enough to fill his life.

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But was I.

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Every night he watched for the star.

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And I wondered who was more

important me or his king.

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Come in, I would tide your eyes

will grow dim with your searching.

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You don't mind my watching the

heavens when I catch the best

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fish, he said with a grin.

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He was right, but I

wouldn't admit the truth.

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The seasons began to pass more quickly.

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My dark hair grade at the temples.

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We performed the sky burial for

Arma and the house became mine,

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but it was too quiet to enjoy.

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It was during the moon of melting ice that

I heard a fervent call Nisha come quick.

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Sure something was a miss.

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I rushed to the yard.

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The light was dazzling and I knew

instantly the star had arrived.

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Not even my fist held before

my face could block it.

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Silver light.

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Ooh, mash hugged me in his excitement.

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The king has come.

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He said the baby has been born.

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His eyes glittered with joy.

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I was stunned.

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The star had actually appeared.

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It was true then had I

been a fool not to believe.

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On impulse.

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I grab U-Mass by his shoulders.

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I'm going with you.

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I said some of the joy

left his face, Nisha.

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I always believed I would have

the rupee to make the journey.

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He held out his hands.

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The day has come and I am

still a poor fishermen.

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Ooh, Matt.

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I want to see that baby.

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I made the next decision quickly.

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We will sell the house.

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And we did.

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It was easy.

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Some of the village women

thought I was crazy.

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Others gave me pinches of gold.

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For the king, they would say.

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I sowed their gold along with my own, into

a strip of red fabric and slipped it into

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the embroidered waistband of my skirt.

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U-Mass bought two mules and

loaded them with supplies.

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He wanted to leave immediately

navigating by the star.

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But I convinced him to wait for

the yearly Trek of the rug traders.

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When they arrived, we

joined their caravan.

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As was tradition, the village women

place a dot of butter between my brows.

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And tied a white scarf around

my neck for safe travels.

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I walked with a sack on my back, held

in place with a band across my forehead.

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I was the only female in the group and

Stoli missed the chatter of other women.

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In my loneliness.

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I began to question my decision.

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Could I make this journey?

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Was there truly a king?

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Eventually we reached a Reddit and muddy

road where we joined other merchants.

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There were different eyes, different

languages, different clothing, as well as

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trains of mules, donkeys, and even yaks.

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Overwhelmed.

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I hid behind U-Mass and barely

spoke until I noticed him.

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I rang the appalling form of a camel.

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We will not have one.

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I declared our mules are good.

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They will make the journey.

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But my love Ooma SJ.

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I said gently.

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If we want to follow the star,

we must trade for a camel.

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This was the same day.

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Our fellow rug travelers made

their trades and headed home.

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I cried as they left.

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What had I done?

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I stood despondent as we traded my lapis

ring and necklace for more supplies

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and strap them to our new camel.

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He was kneeling.

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When I whispered in his

ear, please be agreeable.

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The camel blinked his long lashes

and continued to, to his cud.

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But I think he understood because he

never spit when I was close and he seemed

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to enjoy my padding, his soft nose.

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U-Mass learned just enough Turkic

to speak to the other traders.

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I could only gesture.

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The road was long and the travel hard.

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There were days with little

food or water and nights

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fraught with bandits and tigers.

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On occasion, we stayed in caravan series.

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Which hosted the safety of wild

courtyards and the luxury of

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easy water for our animals.

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Here.

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There was lots of talk.

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And of course, everyone noted the star.

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Especially U-Mass.

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One night.

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He woke me.

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Nisha.

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There are more of us, others

who have been watching the star

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and are now seeking the king.

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I was astonished.

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More Wiseman.

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Was it true then?

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Would we actually find a king?

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Ooh, mesh and I joined in a

caravan with these wise travelers.

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The comradery bolstered my faith.

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Slowly.

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I began to understand.

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The king wasn't here to rule over us.

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He was here to reclaim us, to redeem us.

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To change our hearts and

to one day, take us home.

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In time, we followed the star

to the strange country of Judea.

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Ooh, mash was certain.

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We were close.

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It seemed reasonable to inquire

at the palace of king Herod.

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Feeling my clothes to travel

warranty to be presentable.

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I chose to wait outside.

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For U-Mass.

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I found a bizarre and purchased a

silk shirt and great blooming pants.

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I thought him handsome as he went

off to inquire after our young king.

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Uh, last art king was not to be found.

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What was found was a prediction that

the king of Kings would be born in

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a small village called Bethlehem.

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We resolved to visit this

village the following day.

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That night U-Mass.

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Woke distressed.

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I knew the look.

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He had seen another vision.

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Visiting the palace was a mistake.

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He lamented Harriet has no

desire to worship our king.

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He only wishes to protect his throne.

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Then it's symbol.

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I said, you will tell Herod

nothing of what we find.

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Ooh, mash side in relief.

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When did you become so wise?

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I snorted.

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I'm not wise.

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I have doubted this whole venture.

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U-Mass chuckled.

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Than perhaps my love.

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You are otherwise.

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Long after U-Mass had

drifted back to sleep.

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I lay awake thinking about this term.

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Otherwise.

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Was it true?

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Was my wisdom merely different than that.

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Of U-Mass.

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I was here wasn't I.

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I wanted to worship the king.

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I had become more confident,

more faith-filled.

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Despite my weakness would this king sense?

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My desire to believe.

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It was nightfall before we reached

the outskirts of Bethlehem.

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Here U-Mass was able to inquire

of a shepherd about the babe.

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The separate eagerly directed

us to a simple stone cottage.

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At the door, a lovely, bright eyed

woman appeared as if expecting us.

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I thought her the age of

my great-granddaughter.

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If I had had one.

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Ooh, mash explained our search.

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The woman smiled and

motion for us to wait.

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Ooh, mash winked at my nervousness as

our band gathered in the courtyard.

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Soon, the woman returned with a

child and set him on the ground.

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We all kneeled.

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The young boy look shyly at the

Intrepid travelers before him.

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Then his eyes landed on me.

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I held my breath as he tottered

forward, holding up his arms.

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I glanced at his mother for

approval before standing and

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scooping him into my arms.

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I have held many, a niece and nephew.

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I have sung to them

and rock them to sleep.

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But this, this was different.

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My heart saying to have him in my

arms and I felt my doubts slip away.

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This was my king.

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I brushed my cheek across the top of

his head and struggled not to cry.

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After a moment.

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I dropped to the ground, my old

skirt billowing out around me.

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With the child still on my lap,

I loosened my waistband and

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drew out the strip of red cloth.

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After tying the two ends together.

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I slipped the cloth, like a

necklace over his little head.

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He touched it gently with that

fingers and gave me a sweet smile.

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I was flooded with relief.

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He had accepted my gift.

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And more importantly, he had accepted me.

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We stayed in the village for three days.

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It was a short visit considering

the length of the journey.

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But U-Mass insisted it wasn't safe.

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And perhaps we had

stayed too long already.

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When we left, I could still

feel the soft hair on my cheek.

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And I knew.

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I knew as foretold by the profits that

my little king would fulfill his mission.

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He would sacrifice his life for all the

inhabitants of this earth and beyond.

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And because of him, I would live again.

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And one eternal day.

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Even, I would become an Alma.