What Happened to Love?

The Thanksgiving holiday and my house guest have moved on. The sheets and towels are washed and replaced. Leftovers have been divided and put in the freezer for meals to come. All the dishes are washed and put away for the last time. The only signs of life are my two cats, Ebony and Smokey, who are grateful that my son's dog is also gone.

Putting away the Thanksgiving adornments leaves empty spaces here and there in my house.I am at the moment trying to decide if I should put up Christmas decorations this year. If things keep going the way they are I anticipate a very sad and lonely holiday. At the moment I am wondering if I should just skip it altogether and leave the state. The only member of my immediate family living in New Mexico who would notice my absence is my grandson, who already knows I am giving him a new bike this year. He is counting off the days before he can ride it!

Even if I don't decorate my house it is hard to escape Christmas. Nowadays it starts in October and goes on and on. I guess I need to weigh the pros and cons of participating beyond buying gifts, which I have already done. That's not Christmas in my book. Whatever happened to love and the spirit of the upcoming season?

One Gift
If you could have one gift for Christmas
Tell me what would it be, someone asked.
Seriously pondering the question awhile
The gift I choose wouldn't be under the tree.

What I really want for Christmas
I told the person who had asked me
Is the most precious treasured gift of all,
LOVE, pure and simple and completely free.
B. Gunn 2000

P.S. (11/28/10)
After further contemplation I have decided to put up decorations and skip the tree as it no longer has meaning for me. What I want really isn't under the tree!