Today, I made my way out into the mayhem of the Last Saturday before Christmas. All by myself. And I went to the places that you avoid at all costs, the Last Saturday before Christmas: the post office, and the mall.
Standing in line at the Post Office, clutching small packages to send to family, everyone around me felt so tense. They were snapping at their kids, frantically taping together packages, and sticking stamp after stamp on whole piles of Christmas cards. I suddenly wondered what would happen if I started singing Christmas carols. It was the craziest impulse, and if I'd been the least bit brave, I might've tried it. What would happen in an atmosphere like that, if you suddenly started chirping out "Jingle Bells"? Would people have joined in? Would they have stared at me and muttered? Would the workers have asked me to stop? I didn't dare. But I wish I would've.
Leaving the Post Office, I turned the radio on my car on, loud, and rocked out to some great music that came out this year. It's been an awesome year for music. And I drove to the mall, where traffic slowed to a desperate crawl. Merging was a nightmare. But there was no honking. A lot of waving people over. And I loved that. Especially when listening to Train's "Soul Sister."
Ah, the energy that is The Mall at Christmas. Even when you're only there to pick up a small item or two. It's just fun to be part of this great thing that is Christmas in America. To see people looking and debating over all kinds of things... purses, hats, cell phone covers, candles. I wonder who everyone is buying for, and hope that they find just the thing.
I stopped at the jewelers to pick up my wedding ring, which I dropped off two weeks ago because one of the stones was loose. And they gave it back to me so beautiful and sparkling. When the jeweler wrote down the description of my wedding ring, she wrote "Worn." But I think it would be more accurate to say "Loved." or "Cherished." Because I love my ring. I think it is so beautiful. Mostly because of the man that gave it to me.
Goodness, I love that man.
Especially at Christmas.
I just downloaded that Train song last week :) I love it, too.
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