Merry Christmas
As always, I’m waiting for the kid to get up. Kid as in one, and he’s not a kid, although to me he’s still about six. In the old days, it was the kids, as in three. But those days are past. The tree is lit. Presents are waiting. Santa has come. I’m ready to Christmas. But it’s been a long, long time since the kids led the charge downstairs. A long time. I sort of miss those days when the house was charged with anticipatory energy. Maybe it’s the missing mother that makes it less exciting these days, or just age, and a loss of innocence.
Anyway, after we open presents, we’ll have a bit of breakfast. The oven is preheating for biscuits, and I’ll fry some bacon and scramble a few eggs. Nothing too fancy. It’s really cold outside this morning, I believe the temperature is in the high teens. It’s a good thing there are no bicycles under the tree. We did that one Christmas. I thought the kids were going to freeze. They didn’t and the bicycles were a big hit.
I hope this doesn’t sound too melancholy. I’m actually having a really good Christmas season, which is what it’s all about, I believe. The season. I partied day before yesterday with two thirds of my family, saw all the grandkids and got tons of hugs. Latter today, I’ll swing around and pester random friends who extended invitations to stop by. When I get back home, I’ll bask in the glow of everything and set out to wait to see what the New Year brings. Merry Christmas!!
John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale