Christmas, Beach Style

Dear Gentle Reader,
Christmas is nearing in San Diego. It was such a warm, balmy day—like summer but even better than the weather we get during June. At this time of year the surf is always high, and the waves are exploding against the beach. At night when I’m in bed, ready to go to sleep, I can hear the roar of the surf crashing and then receding. It’s better than a lullaby! And we live at least seven or eight blocks from the beach.

This afternoon my good friend Connie called to invite me to take a walk. I’d already planned to go to see the waves, so it was a perfect time for us. Connie is getting married next week, for the second time. But to her ex-husband. They went to get their marriage license today, and she’s so excited.

Neither the bride nor groom is a kid anymore, but it’s so fun to see their love for one another. They had been separated and then divorced all during the time I’ve known her. He had a long-term alcohol addiction until several years ago. Now he’s a new man, and they’re trying to learn new ways to relate to one another.

On the way to the ocean, we walked past the Christmas tree that appears on the bay every year. People in the neighborhood (and maybe from other neighborhoods who walk in this area) bring their decorations to place on the community tree.

Meanwhile, my Christmas card list is languishing for lack of will-power. Instead, I’ve spent several evenings helping neighbors to set up their brand new Dell computer. Now everything seems to be up and running, and I left them downloading the DSL connection that came with the computer at a discounted rate. I hope I can help them reinstall their e-mail list. I mailed it to myself from their computer and now have sent it back to them but couldn’t retrieve it until their hook-up was complete.

I hope your Christmas preparations are nearing completion. For women, there’s always one more thing to do. Christmas lights are pretty, but Jesus said, "YOU are the light of the world." Shine, shine!