I’m a fan of Stephen King, the author. I think I’ve read everything he’s published, and he’s published a lot.

I think the reason I like his stories so much, besides being well-crafted with fascinating, relatable characters, is because there is almost always something… else… to the story. Something not quite based in the reality I’m aware of. Something outside the normal natural world. I guess I should say supernatural, but that has its own connotations that I don’t necessarily mean.

I’m not drawn to reading regular stories about regular people and their struggles in everyday life because I get more than enough of that with my own life and the news.

I like the “something else” that Mr. King brings to his stories. Someone with a special ability or the discovery of an alien visitation or the fleshing out of evil as a character or a version of the world after a pandemic (written well before COVID-19).

One of the reasons I like the “something else” is because I think there really is a something else. The Bible makes it clear that there is. It speaks of a whole realm that we humans can’t sense at all. Occasionally, God allows us a glimpse.

“Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!” (Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭14,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

Jesus’s birth was one such occasion. It was so momentous that God opened the curtain to the something else realm for a few of us to witness. The shepherds were the lucky ones to see the multitude of heavenly creatures revealed that night. Suddenly. Out of nowhere. The something else was revealed, and it was spectacular.

I sometimes try to picture this moment. I stare up into the starry night sky and imagine seeing one brilliant angel. That’s almost too much to bear, just that. But then my eyes are opened to see the rest of what is. Angels and heavenly creatures filling the sky with beauty and singing. They are praising God and speaking peace on us all. That would be something else!

Dear God, thank you for your mysterious “something else.” I am excited to see all of reality one day instead of through a glass darkly like I do now. Thank you for breaking through by sending your Son on that dark night so long ago. Glory to you in the highest and peace here on earth tonight.