Dang it!
I can't stand the Christmas carol "Silent Night". Well, it's not that I hate the song per se, it’s kind of slow and dull and has never been a favorite, but my problem with it is the extreme overplay. Every party, every devotional, every Christmas program, someone demands that we all sing “Silent Night”. Enough already.
A couple of weeks ago I bought my Christmas cards. They’re very cute with a manger scene and the words from “For Unto Us a Child is Born” on the front, which is a song that I like very much. Last Friday evening I sat down to fill some of them out, and when I opened the card I saw that some of the words from “Silent Night” are on the inside. No no no no no! I seriously considered returning them. I didn’t, and will send them out, but honestly I do it with a little bit of irritation. That song is everywhere, and now I’ve become a part of it. I almost feel like I should apologize to those who get the cards, but then again, I’m probably the only one who is anti-that song. Everyone else seems to love it.
Reunions
Last night on “30 Rock” Liz Lemon attended her 20-year class reunion. It got me thinking about mine. It was last summer back in Minnesota, and yes, I am that old. I didn’t go. In fact, I didn’t get any information on it. I’ve been away from home for such a long time, and my parents have moved since my high school days, so I’m guessing that no one knew where to send the invitation. It’s just as well because I wouldn’t have gone. Partly because I had already scheduled all of the trips I could take in one year for different events, but mostly because I really didn’t want to. I can’t exactly put my finger on a specific reason why. It’s more like a bunch of little reasons that added all together make me want very much to stay away.
A strange thing has happened since then. I got signed up on Facebook because many of my family members are on it, and have found that so are many of my high school classmates, and a whole bunch of them have found me there and have sent me messages, and it really freaks me out. Things like, “I’m sorry you weren’t at the reunion” and “What have you been up to the last 20 years”. It’s all very friendly, but still I feel threatened. I haven’t seen these people for 20 years, nor have I spoken to any of them. I went away to college, and then moved here, and haven’t looked back. I don’t know what to say to them. I’m sure that we have nothing in common. But more than anything else, I’m very surprised that they are contacting me. I went unnoticed in high school. It’s not that people didn’t like me, but I certainly wasn’t popular. I didn’t date, didn’t go to parties (because everyone at those parties were drunk). Most of the time I was just there, standing on the edge of the crowd. I’m shocked that they even remember me.
After a few weeks of cowering, I finally wrote a few of them back. Just short notes letting them know where I live and what I do and such. I decided that it was rude to ignore them, and writing was painless enough. It is nice to be remembered…? Maybe I’ll consider going to my 50-year reunion. We’ll see.
Jonah
Cute Jonah turns 7 years old on Saturday. He’s so excited he can’t sleep at night. There’s going to be a party at Chucky Cheese (his pick) with friends and lots of present, and I think it’s knowing that presents are in his future that’s got him so hyper. I’ve never known a little boy who loves toys as much as he does – he loves, loves, loves his toys. I’m going to go over there later today with my gift for him. I can’t believe that he’s seven. He’s not a little kid anymore, and I kind of miss little Jonah. Still, he’s so much fun now, and a great movie pal, and will still give hugs, so it’s all ok.
I think that's it for now. There was a quote from Mark Twain on the Writer's Almanac this week, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." So true.
Thanks, as always, for keeping me in mind.
You are loved.
2 comments:
I loved that episode of 30 Rock. You captured my feelings on reunions perfectly: "threatened." I don't know why either. Facebook has been a nice, arm's length tool.
Hope you're feeling better. And that people stop singing your least favorite song when you're around. :)
I went to my reunion but I hooked up with my best friend from those days so I wasn't so threatened. I have also been amazed at the people who have found me and wanted to be my friend. Where were they 20 years ago, huh? I am also sorry you hate "Silent Night". I don't like that Grown Up Christmas List. They don't print that one in cards though.
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