The Day After

It's the day after Christmas.

In years past, such as when the girls were little and even when they were in college, I loved the day after Christmas.  Often Gary had to deliver the mail, and we were home by ourselves.

But the quiet, the stay-in-pajamas all day feeling was superb.

I usually love Christmas, but the hustle and bustle becomes overbearing at times.  When I was teaching, there were always papers to grade, semester grades to record, and plans to be made for the return after the holidays.  Then there was always the shopping, wrapping, card-sending frenzy.  Throw in practices for Christmas programs at church, Christmas programs at school, and when Hilary was in high school, practices and basketball games, and even after she graduated when Gary was coaching and I was keeping the scorebook...and there was just no time for anything else.

So I liked the day after.  It was quiet.  The presents had been given and unwrapped. Leftovers were the menu items for the day.  No demands on anyone (unless there was a practice or a tourney game).  The only thing that might demand our attention was Gary delivering the mail,

Today was kind of like that, without M and H being kids and without the mail route, and in a different house.  There were no papers to grade and semester grades to record.  The festivities were over for another year.

But today just felt different to me.

Actually the entire Christmas season has felt different to me.