Christmas

Even though it's only the middle of November, I'm sure the Christmas shopping season has emerged back in Canada. No doubt the TV is full of Christmas commercials and stores have Christmas music playing on an endless loop. Even here in Port Moresby we've seen Christmas decorations at the yacht club and displays in the grocery store. I love Christmas, but I'm not a fan of celebrating it so early. I usually get in the spirit around December 10 or 11. This year however, I am in the Christmas spirit early and that's because Lori and I are coming home. I leave on Thursday and Lori will follow in a couple of weeks. It's been 3 years since we've spent Christmas in Canada and we are both excited. I'm stopping for a week in Ontario to see my family. It's been far too long since I've seen everyone. I'm going to watch the Bruins play the Leafs in Toronto with my dad, brother and nephew. Then it's off to Newfoundland for a good old fashioned Newfie Christmas.

This past Friday night, Lori and I were discussing what we are looking forward to the most about Christmas. Things like turkey and cookies and snow. This led to a discussion about our last 2 Christmases in Paris and the things we'll miss this year. Things like chocolate and champagne and Christmas markets. When I looked at the calendar, I realized the markets will be opening very soon and I was a little sad that I won't be there this year.

Then on Saturday morning the news of the events in Paris brought us back to reality. We see tragedies on TV all the time and then move on with our lives. This one however, feels different to us. We know these places and these people. We drove by the Stade de France every time we went to the airport. We've shopped in Les Halles. The restaurants in the 10th and 11th Arrondissements are close to our first apartment in Le Marais. We have friends and co-workers there. Paris is not our home, but after living there for 2 1/2 years, it is part of who we are. Happiness and excitement have been replaced with sadness and desperation. We have serious problems in the world and I don't know what the solution is. Some days I worry that there isn't one. At one point in my life I wore a uniform and put myself in harms' way. I thought it was important and I thought I was helping, but when I look back on it now, it feels like I was trying to put out a forest fire by pissing on it. It keeps you busy, but it doesn't make a difference.

db