We had our annual Christmas Light Parade (yes, Christmas, that is not only fashionable, but sacred here) just outside the front window of my second story apartment on Mainstreet. Just writing this makes it seem like an slice of “Mayberry”. Perhaps this is closer to the truth than you might realize.

This Christmas event, of the local Chamber of Commerce, organized for the official kick-off of our holiday shopping season. Everyone welcomes Santa at the airport (obviously his reindeer our members of the Union) and then the crowd moves to the City park.

There is entertainment consisting of our local talent, a whole mix-match of variety, musicians, singers, youth dance clubs, and the such like. There is also three teams of horse drawn carriages for hire to add to the activities. Then the parade starts up, to cap off the days busy line-up.

This parade always starts at 6 p.m. and it consist of the traditional floats and other accoutrements that dress the cobblestone Main Street, which is my front yard. You will have every type of vehicle, cars, tractors, motorcycles and this year, a boat. They are all lighted with themed scenes (the don’t be a Grinch, was this years theme) and lots of Christmas lights. It is a fun time, this year was by far the most successful parade to date.

Of course, small town American, when ever we gather, we know most everyone that are in attendance. That’s because most everyone here is a co-worker, school mate or distance relative. If you are a city dweller and have no concept of this situation of familiarity, I have a sad face for you. Just like I believe that everyone should live in a major metropolitan city at least once, I believe the same is true for city folk too. There is nothing wrong with experiencing how life is lived on the other side of life. Both have their respective existences, both are polar opposites to each other.

There were, children everywhere and parents, feeling like children. The store fronts of the many successful retail shops, where sparkling and twinkling with holiday cheer. The air was chilly and the wind had abated to add to the good humored friends and neighbors all bundled and happily enduring the crips fresh elements.

Everywhere you looked was a feast for the eyes. Every face was filled with a broad smile, a cordial greeting and well wishes. A temporary reprieve form the chaos enveloping the world in our current time. Tonight was for gathering a one people, with one goal, to embrace that which is grand about living in a small rural community. Children laughing and playing, people gracious and happy. A mood so palatable and engrossing, you could almost reach out and scoop it up with your fingers. To store it away in a jar to be used on a day less cheerful. No one could sit on the side-lines of this inviting gathering and not be drawn to it like children to desert.

So I was mixing among the large crowd of friends, co-workers and distant relatives. When I started a conversation with the mother and my dear friends. These friends and I, it just so happens, to be the couple I invited on a vacation the Belize, along with a couple other good friends. This was about ten years ago, before they had their two precious children. The conversation consisted of me expressing how I was going to watch the light parade from my apartment windows. Soon they where joining me to witness the coming spectacle from my perspective.

So while they where admiring my view, The mother discovered my library, it is temporarily located in my large great room, that is, until the library has been remodeled. She was taken aback by my huge collection of leather-bound, gold-gilt edged Easton press books. There are around two hundred of these books, in addition to my other mostly hard-bound books of fictions, current topics, and of course, art.

The question usually comes to this, why do you have so many books? It is easy to answer, first I love to read, second, it is my retirement plan. When I am too old to get around and I start to slow down, I will have an endless selection of great books to occupy my forever racing mind. The only entertainment where you can take a vacation from the reality of the drudgery of life in the present.

I hope you enjoyed my little Christmas tale? If so, please like and comment. Feed back is always welcome.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, good night. In the immortal words of Dicken’s – A Christmas tale and his most adored character, Tiny Tim, “and God bless us, everyone!”.