Holiday Magic

This weekend was the Christmas Tree lighting at the San Buenaventura Mission in downtown Ventura so, of course, Erik and I had to go check it out. It was such a beautiful night and the holiday spirit was in the air.

Since we started this little adventure a year ago, we've been so lucky to be part of quite a few community events from Alaska to California but it still gives me goosebumps to be involved in them. I look around at the faces of our temporary community and watch the smiles, excitement, the greetings of neighbors and friends and I wonder what life is like in their corner of the world. The young family with the little children, the older couple holding hands, the teenagers grouped on the corner...are they happy? Do they love their community? Where are they going when they leave this gathering? What will they be doing when the sun comes up tomorrow? Are they desperate to get out or do they consider themselves lucky to be planted exactly where they are?

This night I know I was content to be exactly where we were, holding hands on a cool night in December standing under the warm glow of the streetlights surrounded by a couple hundred people with upturned faces waiting with bated breath for the sparkling lights on the towering pine to be illuminated. And when they were, to be part of the collective gasp, the reverent clapping and to listen to the voices of the children's choir, singing solemn Christmas carols, float softly into the night.

May you and your families have a lovely holiday season!