HE is on its way, coming. It’s the first day of the New Year in the calendar of our Church. It’s a time of hope. The plane back to Hamburg is full of people going to see the famous German Christmas Markets. Some are clearly going home already for their Christmas Holidays, full of joy. For those arriving at Dublin airport, it is, as always around this time of the year, in festive mood, with Christmas trees, lights, and never ending loops of Christmas songs. Maria brought me to the airport. Will I be back before Christmas…? In Hamburg, I will see Toni at the airport when I’ll get off the plane and she’ll get on the plane back to Dublin; Pat will stay until Tuesday and then resume her weekly commute; one of Pádraig’s good friends will arrive the same day and stay for the best part of the week. It’s complicated.
We were told by the consultants in Dublin that the first six months after Pádraig’s accident would give us an indication of how his recovery was going to be in the long run. We were told that his youth is on his side. Young people can do amazing things, there are no limits. But, there was the long haul from Hyannis to Dublin, the operation in Dublin putting back the bone flap, the pneumonia and antibiotics, and finally the trip to Germany. We will continue working for and hoping for the best possible outcome.
Today, Pádraig has been off the ventilator since 8am. He has been doing very well, and was still off the ventilator when we left tonight at around 7:30pm. His breathing was supported by oxygen, but at very low levels (just 2l). He had a visitor over today, one of his good friends from the Conradh in Dublin, and there are more friends on the way for this week and the coming weeks leading up to Christmas.
We used to invite old friends to our house on the first Sundays of Advent, for waffles, hot cherries, cream, and Glühwein beside the fire and a room lit with candle light, for the annual catch up on how our kids and we ourselves were doing. 30-years were passing by. We had an ‘Adventskranz’, a reed with four candles. No waffles this year for Advent. No turkey and ham for Christmas this year, no aunts and uncles, no in-laws for Christmas Dinner. Hamburg is too far away.
Today’s German Music Tip
Adventslieder
What’s hot
Hope
The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Adventszeit
Hospi-Tales 
Yes the Son is coming, as a Child. Let’s pray to Him and ask Him to bring His love to us all through Pádraig, that we be bound up in it, all together around him, to raise him up, if it be His will: to have faith, then hope and forgiveness for all, continually. Let’s pray for this, continually, and welcome Him. Also, let’s find something, be it ever so small, to praise, continually. It’ll be a cure for gloom.
Also : get some gluhwein and some waffles in : his friends are coming!
Glühwein and waffles it will be!