I read a story today about three visitors to baby Jesus who arrived just as the three kings were disappearing at the horizon, and left him three gifts. Apparently, these this visit was not recorded anywhere. The first visitor was called ‘Lebensfreude’, or ‘joie de vivre’, who left his patchwork clown-like coat with the child hoping that it might bring him happiness. The second was called Time and told him that what people feel they have so little of is not rare or scarce – they just have to remember to spend it where it is most needed. The third was full of scars as if she had been beaten up regularly. She was called Love. Giving unconditionally, not asking for any returns, being full of trust, she had suffered like no one else. But as soon as she approached the baby, all her scars disappeared and there was a beauty and a warmth that filled the manger and embraced all those present. – We all know that these three presents and the knowledge shared by the visitors changed world history.

The story was  much better told than I can do it here. It reminded me of what is important in life: Lebensfreude, Time (well spent), and (unconditional) Love.

We experienced all three today.

We went back to Südstrand, South Beach (like the one in Miami, and as ‘cool’), where one of us went riding on one of towering Olaf’s magnificent horses across the endless beaches while the rest went “Kaffeetrinken” with Pádraig enjoying half a cheesecake and half a mandarin cake. We had the full afternoon with beautiful sunshine and an incredibly strong wind. And, above all, we were together, being happy, enjoying the time together, remembering old times, creating new memories, being there for each other.