I’ll be home for Christmas

I’ve spent 15 of the past 18 Christmases with my mom in Parkersburg, W.Va., 13 while I lived in Pennsylvania and two since I’ve been in Northern Ireland. Last year and this year, mom and I agreed she’d go to my sister’s in Virginia and I’d visit her in February, when we’d go to Florida. The Florida trip breaks up the winter for her and spares me dealing with Christmas travel. It’s also a lot more fun for her being with her four grandchildren.

David visits his kids and ex-wife in New Jersey at Christmas so I am reinventing what Christmas will be for me. Last Christmas Joe & Carlos were here so for me that was just the fun of being a tour guide for good friends. This year I’m spending the holiday in Derry with Julie and Ian and their sons Michael and Ronnie. I drove there today. Through the Glenshane Pass (internet photo):

Last week I was feeling a bit anxious about spending Christmas at someone else’s home, possibly feeling like I was imposing. But Julie would never let me feel that way. She is a generous soul who makes me feel as welcome as a member of her family. So I got over that. Then I got thinking that, more than in decades past, I feel like I will be home for Christmas. Living in Derry for six years in the 1970s was the most at home I’ve felt during my nomadic life. I loved Derry people and being part of a community there. Of course I enjoyed visiting my mom, but Parkersburg isn’t home for me. My parents moved there when I was in college so I never lived there. Derry is my spiritual home and it is a lovely thing to spend Christmas here for the first time since 1979.

This afternoon, I called in to see Mr. Bigger for a while then headed over to Julie’s. Starting new traditions--it’s a good thing.
12-23