The Lamp on Christmas Eve
That Christmas Eve, snow fell lightly on the small street. Minh—a shoe-shiner boy—huddled under an old porch, in front of him sat a pair of shoes no one had hired him to polish. The streets were glowing with lights, and laughter echoed from the shops, but Minh had only a thin shirt and an empty stomach.
As the church clock struck twelve, Minh was about to pack up his things to head home when he saw a flickering yellow light at the end of the street. It was a small bakery where an old woman was busy closing up. Seeing Minh, she gave him a kind smile.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
Minh nodded hesitantly. The old woman handed him a warm loaf of bread and a cup of hot milk. "It’s a Christmas gift," she said.
Minh took the bread, tears rolling down his cheeks. For the first time in the freezing winter night, he felt a strange sense of warmth. Before he left, the old woman lit a small lamp in front of the shop. "So that those who are lost will know there is always light here," she said.
Many years later, Minh became the owner of a small bakery on that very same street. Every Christmas Eve, he lights a yellow lamp in front of his door and gives out free bread to the poor.
For he understands that Christmas is not just about receiving gifts, but about becoming a light for others.
Ancoi