I have no poems directly relating to Christmas. What I can say is this. In the last several days the Portland Metro has been dumped on with record amounts of snow and ice. Becuause we are so temperate, the cities and counties cannot justify the fleets of heavy equipment, the manpower and supplies that dealing with this emergency requires. In other parts of our nation, much worse happens routinely, and so it is a given that civic responsibility demands the investments in the essentials to keep the city and county commerce flowing. Here the story is otherwise. It has forced the gathering of communities. I belong to AA, and the presence of that fellowship in my life has proved a God sent blessing at this time. The few times I have needed to get out and about, there has been someone with a better suited vehicle to provide my transport.
I am so well supplied by my good habits of keeping a home that all the essentials are currently at hand. It is primarily my connections with others in my life that I might lack without the transportation. And so even though the ice ruts are so high that my car couldn't pass even if I had chains at certain locations, I still get to connect with people that I love. All is well.
Tomorrow we will gather in feasting and fellowship in the fellowship hall next to the room where my home group AA meeting is held. The church will not be using the space, but AA meets every day of the year and especially on these days, which pose special difficulty in lives devastated by alcohol and dope. We huddle for warmth and love. The church that we use has allowed AA to be there for over a decade now, 365 days a year. On our part, we are self supporting, and pay an honest rent. When we do these special things, we pay extra rent, and we police ourselves as well, cleaning as we go. This might not seem like much but organizing alcoholics is very much like herding cats.
Even though I am an orphan due to the natural consequence of aging, my life is full and good. I hope that my new found friends here in the blog universe will find themselves as blessed as I have found myself.
May you all experience the peace and love that is the promise of the season.
Contraction
1 week ago
Happy Christmas to you, Christopher, and thanks for coming my way this year.
ReplyDeleteHa-ha, blessed -- and then some!
ReplyDeleteOf course, that is truly easy for me to say, since we're high, but un-snowed. I hear accounts on the radio from Portland Metro Complex, and it sounds ... well, complex! Truly, the un-fun.
Last year, Ben was still digging out from the Chehalis floods, in which his home was immersed. This year, its you folks. Such is your Christmas!
But despite "conditions," I hope you have a fine daze, and do yer part to herd yer friends about! Merry Christmas!
Eeek!
ReplyDeleteNow there's snow!
By now feasting and 'shipping should be in high form. Best of the day to you Christopher!
ReplyDeleteWhat an extraordinary, warm post, Christopher. You captured a deep spirit of fellowship in the human soul, using such a simple narrative.
ReplyDeleteChristine and I want to wish you a happy and safe holiday season.
Blessings to you,
~G.