stardate 12.3.2020

Here we are with day three!  I am trying to shift the sadness to the back burner.  I don't want everyone thinking I am depressed all the time.  I mean, yes, I am depressed, but that doesn’t mean my mood is dark and solemn all the time.  I have my moments. Truly.

Just today, for example...  I left the house to run some errands, (from the safety of my car, with my mask on, using the drive through windows.  I had the radio on, and the local radio station was playing happy Christmas tunes.  Since I had no one in the car with me to tell me to change the station, I was listening and driving through neighborhoods, watching as people turned their holiday lights on.

After completing my errands I drove around a bit longer, looking at the lights, and thinking thoughts, like, why the Victoria building never seems to decorate for the holidays, and what a beautiful party event location it could potentially be.  I made an extra stop at Braum’s for eggnog because my nephew Christian had a recipe for me to try.  

I was on my way home, feeling warm and cheery and light, as I passed through the Plaza district. All the holiday lights were on, and people were milling about.  In front of one of the restaurants there was a large person dressed entirely in crimson and white, surrounded by 4 or 5 children.  I wasn’t close enough to get a good look but I thought that was really sweet for someone to be dressed as Santa entertaining kids as their families waited on restaurant take away.  I almost, ALMOST, teared up thinking about what that might mean to those children who are struggling to adapt to mask wearing and social distancing and virtual learning.  I do not admit to being moved by how wonderful it was that even in this difficult year there was Christmas magic for children.

It was absolutely not those warm feelings that motivated me to roll my window down as I approached the group, and it was certainly not me who issued a loud and boisterous “merry christmas” as I drove past,  No sooner as the word were out of my mouth, and the adult clad in crimson turned their head did I realize that it wasn’t a person dressed as Santa, it was a blonde woman wearing OU sooner sweatpants and a red and white hoodie.  Those were not random children she was entertaining but probably her own children and the looks on their faces were not the happy looks of children preoccupied with sugarplums and toys.  

So yeah, I just mistook a mom in sweats for Santa, in front of her kids,  Yikes!  I am pretty sure I made someone’s naughty list.