The Two Travelers

     nd bid them welcome.  He was bored, and longed for some conversation. Names were not exchanged, for it was not the custom when meeting strangers.
      "I would like to share a brief bit of food with you," he said. Their host explained, "I have been fortunate in life. I always carry a large amount of food with me. You can never know where you can find food, and as you can see, I am a large man.  I was just about to have a quick meal," the man said. "Will you please join me?"
      He then pulled two large loaves of bread from his pack, and a large wineskin. "Wine clears the dust from th More Letters From Paradise

         The Two Travelers

      What follows is a little something I just now wrote for the Christmas season. Thinking of how it might have happened.

      A weary traveler stops, and inspects his sandal. He sits on a rock and sees a man of medium height, holding a staff in one hand and leading a donkey, upon which sits a young woman. As they draw closer he observes that the man's face is set with grim determination, and that he moves with a rapid pace.  The woman seated on the donkey appears to be somewhat younger than the man, and is showing signs of fatigue. She has a lovely face, set with deep blue eyes. It is obvious that she is far advanced carrying a child.

      The man at the roadside hailed the two travelers, asking them  to stop and rest awhile. The man leading the donkey at first intended to refuse the offer, but, seeing how tired his wife was, accepted the offer.  Gently he lifted his wife from off the donkey and seated her on a nearby rock. The host waved his sandal ae road," he said. He passed the bread to both the man and the woman. Taking the bread from his host, the man then broke the bread in half, and gave thanks to God  for this unexpected meal. The three sat in silence for awhile, and passed the wine skin to each other.  At last the man told his host that he was a carpenter by trade. He said that he was traveling to Bethlehem to be counted in the census, as required by Roman law. He and his wife had been on the road since before dawn. He was eager to reach the city before the child she was carrying would be born along side of the road. His host listened with great interest and sympathy for the two tired travelers.
      At the conclusion of the meal,  the carpenter thanked their host.  He then helped his wife to her feet and up on to the donkey. The host watched them,  until they were swallowed up in the vast distance.
He sat for a time, lost in thought. This was something he had never done in his life. Offering food and drink to strangers. Yet somehow this seemed to have been the right thing to do. They were such a nice couple of people. And she being with child.
      He got to his feet, and, taking his staff in hand, began to walk. He then said aloud to no one but himself.  "I think I will try and find this couple, and see what happened to them."
          Aloha
          Grant