Mani's September Feast
I just saw Bjorn walk past the house on Two Cemetery Road when he breezed past me, lost in thought. After he ignored my wave, I thought I should follow him to see what was wrong. When he got to the large observatory that the Lenape used to plant their crops, he began to light a candle on the old tree stump. He was just staring up at the stars.
"Hello, Hulton. I didn't hear you come up," said Bjorn.
"I know; I have been following you since my house," I said curiously. "Are you OK? You seem lost in thought."
"I am, I am thinking of the night I walked with the Magi as we watched the star of Jupiter pass through the constellation of the Virgin to her feet in the hills of Mount Carmel," Bjorn said, looking up at the constellation. "A thousand and eight hundred and seventy-two times the sun has rounded this planet since that night in September."
I knew better than to second-guess this ancient and wise Troll.
"He just starred up at me, holding my thumb, and gave me the most radiant of smiles." Bjorn was glowing with joy, "and the cutest little burp escaped from it. You know he wanted to be human in all ways."
I nodded and smiled
.
"Oh, his parents were kind enough, but they were the honest products of their parents." Said Bjorn.
"Did you find anything special about them?" I had asked.
"They were hospitable enough; they just didn't glow like him," Bjorn continued in his sagely voice. "You could just tell he was an older soul—He just stared up at me like only a kindly old man could. There was a strange sense of familiarity with him. Everyone would come to say the same thing about him as he grew up."
"I built a cottage in the hills and watched over his family, and when it came time for him to venture through the world to learn from the sages, I was his companion."
"Like Dorfi and King Harald?" I mentioned.
"Yes, but Harald failed Dorfi," Bjorn said, shaking his head. "Mani didn't fail me or the world, for that matter. He brought so much light into the world. As Jupiter is one of the largest stars to reflect the sun's light on us, Mani just illuminated the best within each of us."
"Can I light one of your candles?" I had asked, smiling as I hugged him and left my hand on his shoulder. "I would like to see the best in you."
Bjorn handed me one of his candles as Pops walked up with his own on this Christ Feast Eve.