Saturday was a strange day. The morning and the evening were wonderful, giggling and telling stories with friends in the city, but the afternoon was quiet and teary. Neither Jeremy or I could get off the sofa. We held hands but didn’t talk much. We both felt useless, drowning quietly in horrific, imagined images.
Newtown has been covered from every perspective, gun regulation and mental disorders have been explored from every angle by every wing of the press. I won’t re-hash their arguments here. Suffice to say the situation has to change, it is not enough to simply grieve, the steady stream of gun violence has to stop. But, in the meantime, it is worth hugging the people we love a little more fiercely, remembering what others have lost and focusing on the joy in our lives.
There’s something about the holidays that, despite the stress of gift-shopping and food prepping and travelling, is inherently joyful: friends hauling a hulking fir tree down the street; Christmas carolers drowning out the crazies on the subway; mince pies baking in the oven; frosty fingers thawing on mugs of hot mulled wine; families telling stories over the crackle of a fire.
This year, despite all the sadness, I have so much to be thankful for: an amazing family, friends I love and a city that really feels like home. This Christmas we are celebrating even more than normal because…
Jeremy proposed!
He asked me while we were away on holiday up in Vermont. After a day spent walking through the evergreens and eating one of the most amazing meals of our life (at this restaurant) Jeremy got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him. I hadn’t realized how over-whelmed I would feel but I managed to get out a yes before he had even slipped the ring on to my finger (between quite a few tears).
So, on Saturday, I held the hand of the man I love and leaned towards all the joy around us and away from all the fear and blame.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!
Katherine: At least you only had to say the word “yes”. When I asked my wife to marry me, it took 4 days to do so as I could only get one word a day out…Day 1: will, Day 2: you, Day 3: marry, Day 4: me (or so it seemed). Her answer took a couple of nanoseconds, if that much. On January 31, we celebrated 27 years together…even though her mother “warned her about me”…..long story.
HI KATHERINE I used to stutter when i was young , im 98 % clear of it now,
Im 55, i think maybe a better self esteem and talking slower has helped me alot …
hope that helps anyone out there ……listen to the SUNSCREEN SONG BY
BAZ LUHRMAN ONCE IN A WHILE ,,,,,, it helps to put things in perspective .
all the best to you all.
Dennis….