My Bluesky account is at:  https://bsky.app/profile/kuron.bsky.social

Ole' Kuron has been opening seven different boxed Advent Calendars and has been doing four different creative ones.  Please be sure to check it out every day to see what new things are revealed.


Candlelight – Hope, peace, and reflection - Mini Story

By the flicker of candlelight, Nor the cat curled on the windowsill, watching snow dust the quiet world. A weary man lit another candle, each flame a prayer for hope and peace. Nor purred, a soothing hum. In the stillness, man and cat found warmth—a shared moment of reflection, unspoken yet full.


Candlelight – Hope, peace, and reflection - Short Story

A Candlelight Christmas

Snow whispered against the windows, painting the world outside in a serene blanket of white. The village lay hushed, as if even the wind dared not disturb the fragile peace of Christmas night. Inside the small cottage, a single candle flickered on the mantle, its light stretching across the room in gentle, golden strokes.

Nor, a sleek black cat with bright green eyes, lounged on the windowsill, her gaze fixed on the falling snow. Her tail curled around her paws as she purred softly, a rhythmic hum that filled the quiet room with a sense of comfort. She seemed to be the very embodiment of the night’s tranquility.

By the fire, a man sat in a well-worn armchair, his hands weathered from years of labor. He was alone this Christmas, a fact he had come to accept with quiet resignation. On the small table beside him lay a box of candles, each one representing a prayer, a memory, or a wish. He lit the second candle of the evening, whispering words that only the flame could hear.

“May peace find its way to every heart tonight,” he murmured, his voice low and steady. The flame wavered as if in agreement, casting shadows that danced on the walls.

Nor stretched, her keen eyes flickering between the snowflakes outside and the man inside. She leapt gracefully from the sill, landing silently on the floor before padding over to him. With a soft meow, she rubbed against his legs, her warmth breaking the solitude that hung in the air.

“Ah, Nor,” he said, his lips curving into a rare smile. “You’re the only one who truly understands, aren’t you?” He reached down, his fingers stroking the soft fur behind her ears.

She purred louder, climbing onto his lap and curling into a tight ball. He chuckled softly and leaned back, his hand resting lightly on her as he stared into the flame of the candle.

The room filled with the scent of pine from the small tree he had decorated with humble ornaments, each one a relic of a Christmas long past. There was no lavish feast, no laughter echoing through the halls, but there was a profound stillness—a space for hope to grow, even in the smallest moments.

As the hours passed, the man lit candle after candle, each one a tiny beacon of light against the darkness of the night. He prayed for friends far away, for strangers who might be struggling, and for himself—to find peace in the memories that often felt more like ghosts.

Nor stayed by his side, her presence a quiet reassurance. As the last candle burned low, she stirred, lifting her head to nuzzle his hand. He smiled down at her, the weight in his chest feeling just a little lighter.

“Thank you, Nor,” he whispered. “For reminding me that I’m not really alone.”

Outside, the snow continued to fall, blanketing the world in a soft, forgiving silence. Inside, the man and his cat sat together, their small circle of warmth and light pushing back against the cold night.

And in that shared moment, amid the candlelight and quiet, there was hope. There was peace. And there was the kind of reflection that only comes when the world itself seems to pause and breathe.


That is it for this Christmas.  Merry Christmas, Everybody!  Thank you for sharing the journey with me.

🦩