Holiday Spirit

With a New Year, comes a new Opportunity
to pause and think about the year's new challenges

with a fresh perspective.

New Year's Day is the first blank page of a 365-page-book ~

its pages are blank ~ waiting for us to write words ~

called Opportunities.

Wearing a black tilted top-hat...he, with bulging tummy...and no socks on his barren feet, Mr Snowman smiles...and holding his broom, he brings country wishes. Behind him is a country home with icy-flowing stream in front, Snowy brings Seasonal Greetings and Winter Wishes.

'Twas the night before Christmas and out on the ranch,

The pond was froze over and so was the branch.

The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.

The kids were at home on vacation from school.

And happier young folks you never did see...

Just sprawled around a-wathin' TV
Then, suddenly, sometime around 8 o'clock,

There came a surprise that gave them a shock!

The power went off, the TV went dead!

When Grandpa came in from the shed,

With an amount of wood, the house was all dark.

'Just what I expected,' they heard him remark.

Them power line wires must be down from the snow.

Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago.'

“I'll hunt up some candles,' said Mom. 'With their light
And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right.'

The teenagers all seemed enveloped in gloom.

Then, Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,

Uncased his old fiddle & started to play
That old Christmas song about bells and a sleigh.

Mom started to sing & first thing they knew,

Both Pop & the kids were singing it too.
They sang Christmas carols, they sang 'Holy Night'

Their eyes all a-shine in the ruddy firelight.

They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,

And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.

They stayed up till midnight ~ and would you believe

The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve.

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;

And when the kids awakened, the power was on.

“The power company sure got the line repaired quick,”

Said Grandpa ~ and no one suspeced his trick.

Last night, for the sake of some old-fashioned fun,
He had pulled the main switch ~ the old “Son -of-a-Gun!

(Anonymous)

Charles Lamb stated, “New Year's Day is every man's Birthday.

As we grow older, we learn new lessons and become better versions of oursleves.

“May your coming year, be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.

I hope you read some fine books. And that you kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful.”

(Author unknown)

Never under-estimate the power you have

to take your life in a new direction.

Every moment is a fresh beginning.
I like the dreams of the future

better than the history of the past.

(a notation from one of my readers)

Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...December 28, 2019

To reply: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca