Just Like I Remembered!

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It was not nearly as cold as I remembered it to be.  Of course, Myrtle Beach is not quite like Dayton, Ohio at Christmas time.  Many of those growing up years in Ohio, the ground was covered with the white stuff.  Not here in Myrtle Beach. 

I dressed for the occasion with a red sweater, jeans and my new leather jacket.  The faces were all different than what I remember as a teenager but the smiles, the voices and the enthusiasm were all the same.  My voice, although unpracticed and certainly deeper than those teenage years, enjoyed the experience all the same.

Although I had the provided songbook, the words all came back to me.  I had sung them thousands of times as a young man.  More so than most as my mother was a piano teacher and church organist.  Christmas carols were standard fare around my house from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  All those young students of mom's learning how to play Joy To The World, Silent Night and Jingle Bells. 

Joining the church youth group for their annual Christmas caroling was a blast from the past.  Piling in cars and a van, we visited half a dozen homes and sang to several shut-in seniors.  It was an enjoyable evening bringing just a little bit of Christmas to friends.  We actually sounded pretty good too, given the only practice afforded us was on the drive to the various homes.   

I was somewhat disappointed that no one offered up hot chocolate.  Of course, the outdoor temperature was in the 60's so I probably was the only one of our group that even thought of hot chocolate on such a night.  We did enjoy a plateful of cookies, brownies and a few other Christmas delights.  It was a good time and not all that different than 40 years ago when I participated as a teenager. 

Singing Christmas carols with a group of young people and bringing just a little "good cheer" to those less fortunate was meaningful for me.  Actually, one of the most meaningful experiences I have had in years.  I have always held Christmas close and I have always celebrated Christ's birth.  This Christmas year is more difficult than most and I was glad to have the opportunity to find some joy.  Merry Christmas to you and yours!