Corona Pt. 25

Home for Christmas?
You take it for granted,
You shouldn't have taken it for granted
That you can always go see your mother
And have her hug you
And give you a kiss on the lips
Like she likes to do. 

You take it for granted,
You shouldn't have taken it for granted
That the Fall ushers in time with family. 
Your annual trip to Gatlinburg, 
Then Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
Two eight hour rides to Cincinnati
To stay with the aunts
And then two eight hour rides back. 

What'll it be like to put up
Those Christmas decorations
You've been keeping in a box for years
Because you're never in Atlanta for Christmas? 
Good thing you have two trees
Since you're used to so many 
Filling up the aunts' house. 
The best one is the tiny one in the guest bedroom
Whose twinkled colored lights you fall asleep to. 

Are you surprised? 
For years, dread has crept into 
Your holiday season
Because you knew life would someday change
That you wouldn't always be a kid. 
That time is flowing not fixed. Not frozen. 

You haven't lost much. 
You might lose more. 
You're afraid of the risk. 
Afraid you might compound the problem. 
This year's season of joy
Is a time for sacrifice! And safety!
Right?! Right?! 

For the first six months of the pandemic, I tried not to think much about what would happen around the holidays. but I’ve started to think about it more over the last couple of weeks, and it’s making me sad.