Quiet And Content
December 24, 2008
The classical music station is playing beautiful choral Christmas music; soon they will play the entire Nutcracker Suite, uninterrupted.
Joe is quietly reading Volume 1 of Shelby Foote's history of the Civil War; he's deep in the cornfield of Antietam on the bloodiest day of the war. Earlier he wrapped up a present for me and scurried downstairs to put it under the tree.
SonnyeBoy is probably sleeping, getting ready for his shift tonight. He has to work this year, tonight and Christmas night and the night after that. But he's coming home on Saturday, so we'll have two Christmases this year.
It's cloudy and damp outside, not nearly as cold as the previous two days, and we've done all of the errands that we are going to do before the party gets started this evening.
This is my favorite time. Don't get me wrong; I love Christmas Day. But this time, the quiet contented time, before the presents and the eating and the holly jolly festivities get underway, listening to carols and relaxing, is its own kind of special.
All is calm; all is bright.
Merry Christmas.