The arrival of Christmas means a traditional trek to my hometown. It’s not the only time during the year I make it back home — fortunately I don’t live that far away — but it seems to be becoming more difficult due to my ever-increasing work schedule.
I can always count on making it home for Christmas, however, and I admit it has become a trip I look forward to each year. I’ve written about in previous columns how my past Christmas tradition included gathering with my grandparents. While that tradition is no longer possible, it does seem I have settled into new traditions, which even pay tribute to the past ones.
As my better half Pam and I drove through my hometown last week, I noticed how so many things remain the same from 20, 25, even 30 years. To me, that’s part of the charm of my hometown. While other towns grow at an out-of-control rate (including the one where I live know), it’s nice to see some towns do stay the same.
Oh, it would be nice to have a few additional things back home. However, my hometown isn’t so far from cities which have that “big time” feel.
Christmas fell on a good day for me this year. With it being on Friday, I was able to take advantage of a four-day weekend. Admittedly, it was tough making it back to the office Monday morning although I can say I was in before the sun was completely up. The four-day break helped recharge by batteries as we returned to the task of producing another newspaper for another week.
In the almost 15 years I’ve known my better half, I’ve related so many stories about my hometown, about growing up there and about all the crazy things I did as a kid, she almost feels like a native herself. Fortunately, she hasn’t gotten bored of my stories yet, or at least she doesn’t let on that she has.
To me, there will always be something about seeing the town square (whose setup still confuses Pam), the old stores on the square, the two local banks, the place where our old grocery store was, my old school and even the homes where childhood friends lived so many years ago.
Returning home also helps ease the stress from work (no matter how much I enjoy my job, it is still a job.) For a little while anyway, I can drift back in time, even if only in my mind, to the years as a carefree youngster.
They say Christmas is for kids and perhaps I still take this to heart. My brother and I still like to cut up like kids, much to the dismay of our mom. We talk and laugh about things from decades ago as if they happened last week.
Yes, making it back home was something this ever-aging body needed. It had been several months since my last trip and I am already looking forward to the next one when we gather for my brother’s birthday.
I doubt there will ever be a time when I don’t get a good feeling when I see the sign telling me I am home again. It seems the longer I am away, the brighter that sign is.
Chris Bridges is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. You can reach him at chris@mainstreetnews.com.
