A Peaceful Christmas Season Day

Last Saturday I woke up more than a little depressed after watching hours of news about the Sandy Hook School.  When I looked outside, I was surprised to see the ground covered with snow. I didn't know it was going to snow overnight.  I must have had 10 or 12 inches of the white blanket covering my yard.  Everything looked fresh. It looked like Christmas time.  I made a cup of coffee and a couple of eggs and got ready for the day.  The first thing I did was drop off some clothing I no longer wear to a donation box near my grocery store. I went to the library, the post office and then a couple of hours of Christmas shopping. I was on my own as the Lovely Sharon was in Palm Desert.

As I returned home, I drove down the road entering my s ubdivision. The road was still covered in snow.  I saw four or five kids walking up the hill.They looked liked they were 6 to 10 years old. They were bundled in hats, gloves, snow boots and parkas.  I could hearing them laughing and yelling to each other, seemingly no cares, no fears, just the joy of a December snow storm. They each had a plastic sled in their hands.  After the previous night's news, I wanted to stop and hug them and greet them and appreciate them, but that would be weird so I slowly drove by and just waived at them.

After organizing things at home for a half hour or so, I went to visit my dear mother and father. Although I had talked to them several times in the last two weeks I had not actually seen them so it was nice to sit in their always too warm living room and talk to them.  We exchange Christmas gifts, nothing big, nothing expensive, just a token of familial love.  I shoveled snow off of part of their driveway and as I did, I couldn't help think back to when I lived in their house, from the time I was a toddler until I was married.  Happy memories and warm thoughts.  The house is not just a dwelling but a history of a family. We kissed and hugged goodbye just like always but this time seemed a little different, a little more emotional.

I then met Son Alex for lunch.  It was wondeful to see him, hug him and kiss the stubble of whiskers on his cheek.  We talked of his grad school work at the University of Utah and current events  and other matters.  It was nice to see him, to be with him.  As two adults with busy lives, it is hard to  arrange for such meetings as often as we should.

Saturday evening, I joined  seven or eight of my golf pals and their wives for a steak dinner at an American Legion Hall. The steaks are gigantic, the decor looks like a 40 year old American Legion Hall and the Christmas decorations of purple lights was kind of cheesy.  But it was great joining friends to celebrate Christmas and our friendship.

After a long and busy day, I got back home around 10:00 pm.  I opened the garage door with my remote but I did not immediately pull into the garage,  I sat in my car in the driveway.  I looked around at the snow, the night was light with the house lights and street lights reflecting off of it.  It looked peaceful.  After a day of Christmas shopping, visits with family and friends, it felt like Christmas.  I needed a day like this.