Steve Matlock worked in a car factory in
Bristol. Every day at lunch, he sat in the canteen
with his colleagues. They had discussions
about their families, their aims,
and their dreams. It was Christmas Eve, and the canteen felt warm and cheerful.
“What are you doing for Christmas, Steve?�
one colleague asked.
Steve smiled politely. “I intend to
spend Christmas with my brothers and sisters in Bath,� he said. “It will be lively and fun. The kids play games all
day long.�
His colleagues smiled, happy for him. But
when the day ended and everyone went home, Steve walked slowly back to his
small flat. Nobody was expecting
him. He had no brothers, no sisters—no family at all. He would spend Christmas on his own, as usual.
When Steve got up on Christmas morning, he
felt the silence in the flat. He
looked out of the window and stopped. There was thick snow covering the whole city, shining white as the morning sun came out. For a moment, he forgot about being lonely.
He put on his thick coat and gloves and stepped
outside. The snow sounded under his
boots. Children were laughing - throwing snowballs and making snowmen, people
were greeting neighbours, and the
city was shiny and bright.
“As
long as I can enjoy moments like this,� he thought to himself, “maybe
things aren’t so bad after all.�
The greatest gift is friendship and the company
of those we love, yet a close second is knowing how to be happy when we are
alone.
Copyright © 2025 Practising English
All rights reserved
