Another Christmas in Smyrna

Another Christmas in Smyrna

Years, like sand through an hourglass are slipping past. Christmas at Smyrna is always enjoyable, as the years progress they seem much more relaxed and low-key. Happily, my mind’s preconceived notions of what the holiday should be have been tempered by the years. So it really is okay now to just enjoy quiet time, walk in the park, stroll in Beaufort, nap, visit and read my book.

This year dad was still fighting quite a cough that's really been around since the start of the month. He wasn't feeling 100%. Dad seemed to really enjoy the holiday: the expression on his face was very easy-to-read and he enjoyed speaking and listening to his Christmas Eve dinner guests.

Mom did a standup job with food which was a delightful assortment of stuffed shells, homemade meatballs, sweet sausage, bread, salad and homemade pie. The dinner conversation was steady and warm and went on for hours. My job which of course is self-appointed; is cleanup detail so by the time mom and dad were done saying goodbye to their guests the kitchen was clean and the dishes stacked in the dishwasher.

I guess where I'm going with all of this kind of mundane observation is that when everyone pitches in its easy and relaxed. Of course year in and year out we’re all acutely aware that there are missing people at our table, those who have gone on and those who never show. The empty chairs of those who have gone on are easy to cope with, it is what it is; they have no choice. Those who never show well that's a little more difficult to cope with; it's harder to get your arms around the fact some who you love just don't come, never offers to, never asks and never seems to care. Whether they care or not remains a great mystery.