Glad That is Over With

It always seems so anti-climatic, when Christmas Day finally arrives. All the running around and fretting over gifts, the wrapping, the cooking, the family, the relatives, the friends, the coworkers, etc. and for what? Less than an hour, it's all over with. You say your "thank yous" whether you mean it or not. The floor littered with the remnants of gift wrap you labored over, stressed over and finally completed. A sink full of dirty dishes and a house in disarray. Shoe prints on the carpet, tire tracks in the yard, another guest gone till some other holiday or tragic event brings you together again. A huge sigh of relief from everyone as the day winds down.

I still love the holiday season as much as ever. Sure, I miss my friends and grandparents, but this holiday is for the living. It's about hope, surprises and the strength of family and traditions. It's about the future, forgiveness and love. I took time to go by my grandparents' old place before heading over to my parents' house. I took some pictures and just roamed room to room, alone with my thoughts. I remembered how thing once were and how different my entire world seems now from my distant youth. Like some other's life superimposed on mine. As was walking toward the door to leave, out loud, I wished my grandparents a Merry Christmas, where ever they were. After all, that was their last known address.