It was a different Christmas this year, obviously. It was my third Christmas away from home, but the first in which I did not have a solid family or friend base to rely upon. I had thought it was going to be a sad one, but while there were moments of homesickness, the majority of my Christmas day was a wonderful.
I woke up with anticipation on Christmas morning and found sunshine streaming into my apartment. Santa had visited both Odie and I and we opened our stockings first thing.
After a walk and some coffee, I opened my presents and then made myself a special Christmas omelette. It was a great morning.
I later went to a Christmas party. A new nurse that I met in orientation invited me to her house for their Christmas; like me, most of their family was far away (in her case, New York), but her sister and brother were still in Phoenix along with some of their coworkers, friends and partners. It was an eclectic group, but a fun one, and I passed a very enjoyable evening with them full of laughter. (I regaled them with poop and penis stories; they were an excellent audience.)
A couple of nights ago, I caught the end of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." Of course, it ends by surmising that Christmas is not about the gifts but about the gathering of people, which made me a little sad to be alone on Christmas. But, I have felt reassured after yesterday: everyone at the dog park, the grocery store and the Christmas party wished me merry Christmas and made me secure in the belief that Christmas spirit is a reality, and a happy one at that.
Happy Holidays everyone.
(See my Christmas tree?)
I woke up with anticipation on Christmas morning and found sunshine streaming into my apartment. Santa had visited both Odie and I and we opened our stockings first thing.
After a walk and some coffee, I opened my presents and then made myself a special Christmas omelette. It was a great morning.
I later went to a Christmas party. A new nurse that I met in orientation invited me to her house for their Christmas; like me, most of their family was far away (in her case, New York), but her sister and brother were still in Phoenix along with some of their coworkers, friends and partners. It was an eclectic group, but a fun one, and I passed a very enjoyable evening with them full of laughter. (I regaled them with poop and penis stories; they were an excellent audience.)
A couple of nights ago, I caught the end of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." Of course, it ends by surmising that Christmas is not about the gifts but about the gathering of people, which made me a little sad to be alone on Christmas. But, I have felt reassured after yesterday: everyone at the dog park, the grocery store and the Christmas party wished me merry Christmas and made me secure in the belief that Christmas spirit is a reality, and a happy one at that.
Happy Holidays everyone.
(See my Christmas tree?)
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