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A Christmas Yes
Dispatch
from Forbearance
Presbyterian Church
by Charlotte Johnstone
With Christmas advertising
itself noisily everywhere, Cliff Manson found himself in a slump—not
depressed exactly, but possessed of a vague weariness at the thought
of what the season would entail. And he felt guilty about that, because
what in the world did he have to feel so apathetic about? His children
and grandchildren lived nearby. His wife of 31 years, Marci, still loved
him and even occasionally found him amusing. He had good health, a circle
of trusted friends and a steady job. They seemed to have a good life,
so why did he feel a strange dullness?
Maybe it was the utter predictability
of what he knew was coming that was getting to him.
Christmases at the Manson home were always the same—endless conferring
between Marci and the children over gifts for the grandchildren, discussions
about the Christmas dinner menu, a visit to the tree lot with the inevitable
tree debate, forays through the local mall, grocery store runs for the
ingredients that somehow had been forgotten. Marci’s parents would
arrive, Marci would get irritated with her mother’s constant talking,
and her father would get miffed when Marci confined his cigar smoking
to the backyard. Aunt Helen would get into a loud political argument
with Uncle Edgar, one of the grandchildren would throw up from too much
candy, and old Aunt Estelle, who was impossible to shop for and who
never liked anything she got, would spend the entire day looking as
if she smelled something bad.
The whole scene was entirely predictable and he sighed heavily thinking
about it. He loved his family, even Aunt Estelle, but, he realized for
the first time, he was tired of the utter sameness of the season. Joy
to the world? What was the song and where was the joy?
Charlotte Johnstone is a member of Immanuel Presbyterian
Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She (and the cast of Forbearance Presbyterian
Church) welcomes comments. Write to her at Horizons, 100 Witherspoon
St., Louisville, KY 40202-1396 or email wjohns4949@aol.com.
Does Cliff find the Christmas joy in time? Find out in the November/December
2004 issue of Horizons.
Call 800/524-2612
~or~
to Horizons Magazine
~or~
the November/December 2004 issue now.
(HZN-04-250; $4 plus shipping) |
