“We’re late for caroling! Let’s go,” I shouted down the hallway to my teenage daughter. My stress level had peaked. I was the choir director of our church, so Christmas was my busiest time of year. Sometimes it seemed like the preparations were never done.
I’ll be glad when work is all over and my Christmas can really start, I thought on the way to church.
The carolers were assembled inside. Some were in Charles Dickens-era costumes. One woman was draped in blinking lights. A kindergartner wore angel wings over her coat.
“Can we sing ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’?” a little boy asked.
“I lost my glove!”
“Can we go over the harmony again?”
I ran around dealing with all the last-minute problems. Finally it was time to go.
We hit the streets and broke into “Silent Night” at our first house. An elderly couple opened the door. While we sang, the man put his arm around his wife and hugged her close. We’ve brought Christmas to their door, I thought.
That’s when I realized that I’d just experienced all the elements of the holiday—joy, peace and giving to others. I had been rushing through work so Christmas could begin, but it had been all around me the whole time.
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