Ten Little Christmas Angels: The One That Is Different

This is a short story of a beautiful little girl who sings as an angel in the Elementary School Christmas Play. Even though she is dressed the same as the other little angels, there is just something about her that sets her apart from the other children.

THE LITTLE ANGEL

The auditorium of the elementary school was filled. Mrs. Walker was playing Christmas carols on the piano. The families of the Kindergarten class had come to see and hear their little ones performing the annual Christmas play. The mothers chatted among themselves. The fathers crowded together around the stage with their cameras, eager to take a picture of their little darling. The older children laughed and talked with each other. The stage was set with a manger in the center. A “Jesus” doll lay in the manger in the middle of a pile of hay. “Joseph” fidgeted in his long, grey robe, anxious for the play to start. “Mary” stood very still and proper beside “Joseph”. Her white robe covered the top of her head and reached the floor. Copper colored ringlets pushed their way out from the sides of her head covering.

Then the lights dimmed. Everyone became silent and very still. Mrs. Walker began to play “Away in a Manger”. There was a rustling sound from the back of the auditorium. The audience turned in unison to see ten little angels begin their slow walk down the aisle toward the stage. The tenth angel was smaller and shorter than the other little girls, but she walked tall and straight, as though she had a book on top of her head. Her walk seemed to say that she was proud to have been chosen for this important role in the play. She was identically dressed like the other nine little angels. A halo was held to her head in a sort of magical way, a pair of realistic wings had been attached to her erect little shoulders. Her long, white robe was made of satin. The hem covered her feet. Her footsteps made no sound. Her hands were hidden in the folds of the long, flowing sleeves. Even though this little angel was a carbon copy of the other little angels, there was something noticeably different about her. As the ten little angels passed by me where I was sitting, I could hear her voice above the others, singing the notes high and clear. Every word she sang was as clear as a bell.

The ten little angels took their places in two straight lines behind the manger. This little angel stood in the front row on the left side. Her baby fine blonde hair was long, reaching to her waistline. When the stage lights touched her hair, it shone. Her tiny face was very round, almost cherubic. Her eyes were the color of the bluest crayon. This little angel had a perfect turned up nose. Two dimples framed her mouth, and a third dimple was deep into her chin. Her lips were a rosy red, although she wore no lipstick. There was space inside her small mouth where two front teeth had been. She stood very straight, and as she sang, her face was joyfully lifted toward the ceiling. This was the most beautiful little girl I think I had ever seen.

When the performance ended, the children all ran off the stage to their waiting families. This tiny angel stood alone on the stage. Then her proud parents ran to her. Her father scooped her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Her Mother kissed her and hugged her, too.

As they walked away, arms around each other, I knew the little angel was blind.