"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown"

Envelope No. 4 contains the sparkly glittery letters "M" and "T" with the following quote:



Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and spring.
If there is no response in you to the awakening of nature--
if the prospect of an early morning walk does not banish sleep,
if the warble of the first bluebird does not thrill you--
know that the morning and spring of you life are past.
Thus may you feel your pulse.

Still no return address and I google the quote. It is written by Henry David Thoreau. Spring and Bluebird both have special meaning to me. Whoever is sending these, do they know?

The day before Christmas I receive envelope No. 5. Still no return address, the letters "I" and "R" are enclosed with the following quote written by Ruth Stout:



There is a privacy about winter which no
other season gives you. In spring, summer
and fall people sort of have an open season
on each other; only in the winter, in the
country, can you have longer, quiet stretches
when you can savor belonging to yourself.

I am still giddy with wonderment....these all have a deep inner meaning to me. Who knows me "that" well?

Kristi spends the night so we can all wake up together Christmas morning (I secretly hope that this never changes). We sleepily go to our "Christmas morning positions." I am first handed an envelope. It is a silver envelope and I readily know what is inside.



About a month earlier she was over and had spotted a card that I had purchased. I had purchased two of them once upon a time and she asked if she could have it. My love for her outweighs my love for my cards so I said of course. I opened the envelope and there, yes, was that beautiful favorite card of mine.

I opened the card and enclosed were four sparkly glittery letters "Y", "H", "R" and "E", our two nicknames for each other in glitz "Dix" and "Pix"



and the following quote:



"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were
sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the
city of David a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord. And this
shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, and good will toward men."

"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." - Linus Van Pelt

Kristi is my giddy mystery person. The person that knows of my longing to learn, to step outside of my comfort zone, to experience all that is offered. She knows I need the winter quietness but my deepest love is the first day of spring. And there is nothing in nature that will make me stop and breath the deepest breath as when I spot a blue bird.

And my most cherished Christmas love is when Linus quotes Luke 2:8-14 and ends with saying "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Because it is at that moment every year, for the past 25 years, when Kristi is by my side watching that show, that I know that I can overcome and tolerate all of the commercialism and stress that the holiday takes on. That one moment, with Pix so close by my side, that I know what Christmas is really all about. I love you Pix, and that's what it's all about!