A Broken Angel With Mended Wings

As I unpacked our Christmas decorations this year, a gentle nostalgia filled the air. Memories of Christmases past came flooding back—the year we discovered the nativity nestled in a hot pink feather boa, Baby Jesus beside a mummified mouse, and the time the new nativity figures dwarfed the tiny barn. I even found myself smiling at the memory of Baby Jesus being spirited away at a raucous Christmas party so many years ago, held captive as a playful holiday secret.

But this year was different—not chaotic or wild, but peaceful and gently organized. My dear friend Annette had helped me label every box, every tote, so that each ornament and figurine would be easy to find. The simple act of opening the magic nativity tote felt like a small miracle in itself.I began to unwrap the resin figures, one by one—Mary, the three Kings, the gentle animals, Joseph... but where was Baby Jesus? My heart skipped. Could he really be missing again? The ache of loss, however small, stung unexpectedly.

I searched frantically through the box, and instead, at the bottom of the heavy-duty plastic tote, I found her—our angel, her wings broken in three places. My heart sank. Our nativity would not be the same without her. I couldn’t bear to replace her with another; this angel belonged to us, with all her history and love. Tenderly, I set her aside, determined to mend her delicate wings.

When I turned to the ornaments for the tree, I found him—Baby Jesus, nestled atop the box as if he’d been waiting for me all along. Relief and joy swept over me. Whether it was another family prank or just fate, it didn’t matter. He was safe, and our nativity would be whole again.

But my thoughts returned to our precious angel...I braved the winter snow to buy super glue, hoping it would heal the fragile wings. Lex and I sat together at the kitchen table, the warmth of home around us. She watched patiently as I struggled to piece the angel together, the resin refusing to hold, my frustration mounting.“Mom, to glue the resin back together, you need to sand it a bit.  I’d recommend a hot glue gun, then super glue all around the edges.”

“I should have asked you first, Craft Wizard.  Will you please help me?”

We didn’t have any sandpaper handy (or perhaps it was buried somewhere in the snowy garage), so we made do with a coarse nail file. I caught Lex’s amused gaze as I filed my nails one last time before surrendering it. Her patient, loving eye-roll was all the encouragement I needed. With a little craft magic and teamwork, Lex gently reassembled the angel’s wings. I sealed them with superglue, and together, we brought her back to wholeness.

We are all a little broken at times, but love and patience can mend what seems beyond repair. With a bit of teamwork, a touch of craft glue, and a great deal of heart, even the most fragile wings can find their way back home.

https://medium.com/@jencracchiola/a-broken-angel-with-mended-wings-f3e8d424630c