Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht — A German Moon’s Christmas Eve Stillness

© 2015 Peter Free

 

25 December 2015

 

 

Excruciating pain and blessedness

 

Last night, happenstance had us driving through southwest Germany under a Christmas Eve full moon. I have been suffering for weeks under an inescapable load of gun-to-the-head type neuropathic pain, exhausted from lack of sleep.

 

The vastly rolling landscape darkly reflecting soft gray and blue light, merging with variegated patterns of clouds in the 51 to 55 degree Fahrenheit warm air.

 

French, German and Belgian voices respectfully speaking (with perfect enunciation) on frequently static-interrupted radio. The car’s rubber roll tracing the sweep-curving Autobahn in its temporarily timeless journey to peace.

 

And then, barely audible from a geographically distant radio station, a choir’s “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht” in the song’s original Austrian German.

 

Holy is the only word that fits. Even absent anyone’s specific religious connotations.

 

Have a blessed day, whether you honor it or not.