Since the birdies left the nest, Christmas has been a bit of a downer at times. The bittersweet of not being in Illinois way back when was replaced with the fun of little ones and Santa Claus and Baby Jesus. Then it was back to bittersweet when they left the nest and last year not everyone could make it home. I felt I wanted to consider Christmas travel going forward.

This year we all met up in Richmond VA because Andy is in med school and has zero time/money. After our week before Christmas partying with Kelsey’s family and ours, Al and I drove down to Charlotte NC to see old friends. Stopped at the campuses of our respected basketball rivals over the years – Duke and UNC – on our way. At one rest stop we were greeted with free food and drinks and hot dogs by a local Christian community -they do it every year and “we’ve met some wonderful people.”

Now we are taking the BlueRidge Parkway with Sirius radio blue grass Christmas on the radio, on our way back to spend Christmas Eve with Andy and Kelsey before flying home on Christmas Day.

For the first time in a long time I don’t feel blue (“blue”grass music will do that for you) and am now convinced that traveling and seeing the bright beautiful world and people outside my home may be the answer to my holiday blues. Doesn’t have to be extravagant. Road trip works – the woman in her Santa hat and sweater at the rest stop and saying Merry Christmas as we passed, breakfast in the restaurant with Tammy and Patrick where the servers appeared to be competing in a best/ugliest sweater contest today before closing early at 2 pm. Put it all together and you have a new perspective.

This is th first Christmas as an orphan, without both Mom and Dad. They who taught me to travel by road and air, are here after all with perhaps a new message of how to celebrate Christmas going forward.

Merry Christmas and may 2018 be all things bright and joyful to you and yours.