It's Christmas Eve and most of us are more or less ready to join in the celebrations with our families and friends. Who knows, maybe some of us are alone and others may be working. In a way, it doesn't matter where we are as it feels hard to celebrate in a broken world where there are still too many wars and injustices and with climate change turning a white Christmas into a warm celebration. But we all need something to sooth our soul, we all crave for some magic and solace as well.
So, tonight, before going to bed, for inspiration, read "Maese Pérez el organista", one of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer's "leyendas", written in the 1800s.
This short story divided in four parts with a brief intro, revolves around a humble blind organist, Maese (master) Pérez, who plays angelically during the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, bringing joy to the hearts of vast crowds of people through his celestial music.
Yet, being old and infirm, Maese Perez dies, but there's a supernatural twist in this tale that is also the story of a vast humanity gathering together in a church - from common people to the ecclesiastical hierarchies and the wealthy lords and dames in rich robes, most of them definitely not interested in the Mass, but just hoping to be transported to the celestial spheres through Maese Pérez's music.
So have a lovely and slightly scary Christmas Eve reading this tale in its original language, Spanish (Download Maese Pérez el Organista_GustavoAdolfoBécquer), or in its English translation (Download Maese Pérez el Organista_GustavoAdolfoBécquer_English).
And, if you like playing with Artificial Intelligence and you feel inspired, well, do your own illustrations (like I did with Midjourney) for this supernatural short story.
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