A Merry Little Christmas

It was eight years ago that I moved to Maryland, and it was my first Christmas season spent away from the family. I was working in Baltimore city at the time and absolutely hated the atmosphere - bums begging for money, drunks trying to hug you, homeless people sleeping on the air vents of the city for warmth, smoke billowing around them. The sound of distant sirens and car horns filled the air. I had been working for a law firm, putting in twelve hour days, my eyes straining from staring at word after word about asbestos liability. I was tired, I was lonesome and I was homesick.

A friend of mine at the firm asked me out to lunch. It was the first time I ever said yes as I was usually to preoccupied with work. We pulled on our warm coats, secured the scarves around our necks and stepped out into the city. We walked a couple blocks, and stopped for soup and salad. She talked me into taking a stroll by the shops to look in at some of the Christmas displays. We laughed a little, but the ho-hum of my spirits was weighing me down. I shook my head at the cold, homeless people when they held their hands out for money, annoyed by it. We stepped inside a shop so she could pick up a last minute gift and I was annoyed. I remember standing by the door impatiently as she made her purchase, waiting to get back to the office so that maybe I could finish an hour earlier. Sensing my aggravation, she smiled and hurried next to me. We stepped outside and walked to a busy intersection. At the corner was a man playing the trumpet for money; his clothes were disheveled, his gray beard grungy with dirt. I looked at him, shook my head and watched as he put that trumpet to his lips. He began to play "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and as we stood and waited for the 'walk' sign to turn green, tears streamed down my face. It was the most beautiful version of that song I had ever heard. I reached into my pocket, grabbing for bills and threw money in the empty case beside him. From that moment on, my heart was lighter and I went back to the office, packed up my belongings and went home for the rest of the day.

The Christmas spirit grabbed me yesterday. I traveled to D.C. with the kids and some friends and we visited the National Christmas tree, majestic in its height and girth; the kids were thrilled with Frosty and Rudolph, and I ate the best damn chili dog I've ever had. The sadness over this Christmas was shivered away as I walked in the cold of D.C. I wanted to be immersed in my own self-pity this Christmas, but it's impossible. Impossible because I have a family and friends that are unbelievable. To all of you, have yourselves a merry little Christmas. Here are the words:

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on your troubles will be out of sight, yeah

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
From now on your troubles will be miles away, oh ooh

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore, ah
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us, once more, ooh

Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough, ohh
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Oooh...

Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us, once more, ohh

Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow, oh yeah
But 'til then we'll have to muddle through, somehow
Oh yeah, oh ooh oh
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now