I left for Monarch, PA on Christmas Eve at about 2PM. I was hoping to leave by 12 Noon, but with all of my sleep deprivation, and wrapping deprivation, 2pm was the departure time. My parents were saints by agreeing to meet me halfway at Sideling Hill. This was truly a blessing, as I was plagued by horrible dreams of the homeward bound trip.
I had horrific nightmares about driving home this Christmas, which involved losing control of my car and skidding into a Runaway Truck Ramp sign. This dream was passed on shakily to my Mom and Dad, which I am sure helped convince them to meet me halfway.
Fog banks were cruising through the mountains, and I thank God that my Dad was driving. I would have been white knuckling. Dad drove and chatted on to me at leisure as I cringed at the lack of visibility ahead.
I took a few photos of the "Runaway Truck Ramp" signs as we approached them in the dark, and funny enough, they were just as I saw them in my dreams...blurry and approaching fast...
Maybe my dream was not leading me to certain death, but to these photos. Or maybe it lead to my Dad driving, preventing a tired me from a different fate. Interesting to think about either way. These photos are still the images from my nightmares.
But after a wonderful and funny ride home with my Dad in the driver seat, Buddha on my lap, and Mom following behind in her car, we arrived home. And the first thing that made my homesick heart sing was the sight of our family Christmas tree. The same through the ages, it stands as it was in my youth. It looks almost exactly the same. The sight of this tree was the first sign of true home Christmas to me.
1 comment:
The last picture could be circ. 1957. This is how I picture all Christams's should look like in any home. With old carols playing on records or 8 track the only true way to listen to them.
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