Intro: Gavin, who turned 26 a couple of weeks ago, just left his office for the Christmas holiday. Rushing to see his family who lived in upper New Hampshire, he didn’t change his clothes and took off in his little yellow Volkswagen from a small town in Massachusetts.  It was midnight after being on the road for several hours, and Gavin barely lifted his foot from the gas.

     The road was extremely icy that night because of the rain that fell on Boston the day before. Squinting his blue eyes, Gavin focused as hard as he could on the few visible feet before him since the dimmed front lights on his old Volkswagen Beetle weren’t helping. His chin was almost touching the wheel, the windshield muddy, and he was ready to stick his head out the window to see the next turn of the narrow rocky road. The tap water Gavin poured into the reservoir was frozen, and the tired windshield wipers were helplessly moving left and right. That night was the coldest night of winter, and the blanket of dancing snowflakes slowly started covering Gavin’s hood. And while most people were enjoying the first snowfall of the year, Gavin was clicking his teeth and trying to remove his tie, which now felt like a popsicle. And the heater didn’t like him because it was warming itself up before sharing.  As soon as he took one hand off the wheel and looked down at his tie, a grating sound came from below, and the moment he looked up, he saw the green pine trees in front of him, and the airbag punched him in the nose. He was knocked out.
     Gavin woke up from the cold in the car, now an igloo. He was shivering and felt like he had nothing left but his bones. After ensuring no cuts or injuries, Gavin noticed the smell of burnt rubber. He quickly grabbed his rucksack, which was on the passenger seat, and struggled to open the door.  He crawled out and lay down. The back of his buttoned-up shirt was now soaked. Fluffy snowflakes were floating down and landing on Gavin’s eyelashes. Melting, they quickly ran down the sides of his face as if trying to reach other snowflakes as soon as possible. And with the snowflakes came tears. He didn’t know what to do.
The meek darkness surrounding him crept in, and he realized he was too far from civilization. The hopes of being picked up by another car soon froze when Gavin realized that it had been twenty minutes since he had passed through a town, and he had not seen a single automobile. Getting colder by the second, the gravity of the situation sunk in. He had nothing with him besides a shirt and pair of trousers, his office uniform. After checking his bag, he was devastated, only to find a bottle of nearly frozen water. There was no hope of keeping warm. For a moment, he pictured himself by the side of the road covered with snow, frozen to death. He knew he had to do something.
     There was no service, and Gavin had no idea how far ahead the next town might be. He was faced with an interesting existential choice. He would freeze if he remained where he was, so he had to decide whether to walk forward into the unknown in hope that a town might be around the very next corner or to walk back in the direction from which he had come, knowing that there was certain help at least fifteen miles back. After deliberating for a moment, he decided to step into the world of the unknown, saying, “After all, isn't that what they do in the movies?” True, Gavin was one of those romantic people who lived in their imaginary world, or should I say imaginary movie, and tried to copy the heroism of their favorite characters. And Gavin never considered the fact that the actors have a chance of a retake. This quality of his has always annoyed people, and they would often say that “he is floating in the sky,” however, it never bothered Gavin himself as he tends to think that sometimes it helps him with his “normal” life. So, thinking he was Captain America and carrying his rucksack as a shield, Gavin made a new footprint towards the nothingness on the untouched layer of crisp snow.
     He wasn’t sure about his decision and didn’t trust his instincts this time.  The wind was starting to blow stronger and stronger, scratching his cheeks. Gavin walked forward for about ten steps and then, without thinking, pivoted decisively, and walked back the other way. After three minutes, his ears were freezing, and he felt like they were about to chip off, so he collected his last bit of energy and started running.  But the cold drained his energy quickly, and soon Gavin had to slow again to a walk. This time, he walked for only two minutes before becoming too cold. Again, he started to run but grew fatigued instantly. The periods of running were becoming shorter, as did the periods of walking. Gavin was like a freshly caught fish, still trying to flap around in the catcher's hands, hoping to get out, but eventually, it would become still as a tomb. Gavin realized what the outcome of these decreasing cycles would be. At that moment, what had first appeared to be merely a difficult situation began to look like it would be his final. Awareness of the genuine possibility of death slowed Gavin to a stop. 
     Fifteen miles was impossible to survive under these rough conditions. After reflection, he said, "Okay, if now is the time to risk it all, so be it. I'm ready.” Gavin really meant it. He accepted death and let go of his grip on the bar of life. With that, he turned around, stopped thinking about it, and began walking calmly down the road without knowing how long it would be to find someone or if he would survive.  There, Gavin suddenly became aware of the beauty of the night. He became absorbed in the silence of the stars and the loveliness of the dimly lit forms around him; the heartless conditions seemed beautiful now. Then, unconsciously, he started running. He didn’t stop for forty minutes, as he spotted a light burning in the window of a distant house.
     At first, he didn’t even recognize the bright dot. His mind was empty like a desert—no distractions and, most importantly, no thinking. While running, Gavin never thought about how much longer until the next house, how much more time he could last, and whether he would see the sunshine again.  But there it was, the window full of warm yellow light, the sun of the night. As the house became closer, his senses suddenly came back. He started to feel tired again, and the shivering returned.  But Gavin didn’t seem to care anymore. All of this seemed unthreatening in comparison to death. It was as if the freezing night was trying to kill and catch Gavin one last time before he entered the doors of warmth. However, it was too late now, as Gavin stepped on the front porch, and the fingers he couldn’t feel anymore pressed on the doorbell.  The door opened, and the bright light suddenly struck Gavin’s eyes, but a silhouette blocked it. The welcoming smile said: “Merry Christmas. Are you okay?” Gavin’s lips were numb and still. He didn't know where to start.
     As Gavin stumbled through the doorstep, his lips started to regain the sensation from the warmth and coziness. The silhouette that greeted him was an elderly woman with a kind face wrapped in a thick-knitted shawl.  "Merry Christmas," she repeated, concerned as she took in Gavin's disheveled appearance. Gavin smiled weakly: “Thank you, and Merry Christmas to you, too.  I... I had an accident on the road. My car... it's stuck, and I got lost. I was freezing, and I didn't know what to do.” The woman’s sympathetic eyes became larger. She led Gavin to a inviting living room, where a crackling fire danced in the fireplace. The room was adorned with festive decorations, and the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the air. Gavin explained his journey and how he had been going to see his family for Christmas. The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Thompson. She was a widow living alone in the countryside. After closely hearing the story, she noted: "You were very lucky, you know. Not many people pass through this way, especially on a night like this." Gavin nodded, his gratitude overwhelming. "I can't thank you enough for your kindness. You've saved my life." Mrs. Thompson smiled warmly. "Nonsense, dear. That's what Christmas is all about—magic." As Gavin sipped his cocoa and felt the warmth seeping back into his body, he couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected turn of events. What had seemed like a hopeless and life-threatening situation had led him to the doorstep of a stranger who embodied the true spirit of Christmas. And so, in the cozy embrace of Mrs. Thompson's home, Gavin realized that sometimes, the darkest moments in life could lead to the most heartwarming and life-affirming experiences.