We're closed now until January 6th. I hope it snows two feet! I'm staying next to the fire.
As a kid, I learned to say "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" this time of year even though I was a pretty poor student in Sunday School. The simple words still evoke a nice time of year when all the lights and smiles come on. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's a happy way to skip through the darkest time of year.
Now, with a very mixed culture, we in the U.S. just say "Happy Holidays", hoping that won't offend anyone.
I was gone for the last two weeks, traveling, partly on business, but mostly on pleasure. I saw some wonderful things in Paris, Montreux, Portofino, and Nice. But nothing warmed my heart more than what happened last night on the way back to the airport parking lot in Minneapolis. We were the only two people in the little bus, so I talked to the driver.
I assumed he was from Somalia because we have a very big communty here of Somali's, and they've been very successful in keeping their culture and adapting to Minnesota in every way. I later learned he was from Ethiopia and had been in the U.S. for six years. He's about 50, distinguished in appearance, and has family here.
I said, "I imagine you get a lot of Merry Xmas wishes" these days. He grinned and said, "I do but I don't mind. People are very happy."
I asked him, "Do you have a holiday at this time of year?" When he didn't reply at once, I said "Do you celebrate Ramadan?" He said, "Yes, I do." I was relieved to know I had guessed correctly. "But it isn't for four months now."
I asked him what he was trained for in Ethiopia, what he did there. He said he was a judge.
When we got off in the dark and snowy parking lot, he helped us with our bags and I gave him a tip, one I earned with a little of your money!
He gave me a big smile, put his hands together, pointing up, and said "Good night. Merry Xmas."
Author
Topic: JRiver is Closed for Two Weeks, Open Again on January 6th (Read 1018 times)