Missing the Northeast at Christmas..

Okay. The second year in, spending the holidays away from New England I'm finding my feelings much the same as the first year. I miss the crisp clean air. I miss watching (if not driving in) the falling snow. And I miss generally happy people bustling about as they do their last minute holiday mall runs and last minute errands, perhaps a bit harried and frazzled, but with a shared common knowledge that "we're all running around with our heads chopped off for a reason and we're sympathetic with each other. We're manic together."

There is a shared humanity to the manic-ness of the crazy holiday season as much as for the actual day when it finally comes, bringing family, food, group walks after a big meal, silliness, arguments and laughter, sometimes football, heated intellectual and philosophical debates and also figuring out where everyone is going to park their car or park their head if they are spending the night.

We managed to re-create most of the magic of the actual Christmas Day experience last year when our boys road-tripped out here to Florida to spend the holidays with us. Dylan brought along his girlfriend and we had a wonderful holiday enjoying each others company and indulging in many of the above-mentioned activities. We got to spend time with my Mom and sister who also live in the area which is an opportunity we wouldn't have if we weren't in the Florida area.  In a few days the boys will join us again here at the condo in Tampa and we can't wait for the visit. So yes, Christmas day will be magical as always, regardless of the location as long as family is together.

But the lead-up to the holiday here in Florida? Not so much. The pre-Christmas frenzy here is frenetic and frenzied as everywhere, but it seems to be missing the humanity - that edge of human kindness.  Nothing here seems to be a sympathetic "shared" experience. It's more of a self-centered free for all.  Drivers here are always in a hurry and would just as soon drive over you than around you and road rage is considered both justifiable and logical! Bicyclists are regularly hit by drivers (Andre was hit last year riding his bike to work) and folks here seem to be A-Okay with that.  It's an odd place and a place that frankly, is just not a good fit for us.

That said, we knew what we were getting into when we came here to spend another winter working here.

They say everything in life is a trade-off of some sort. This is our trade-off.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA