I grew up, left home, chased a pro baseball dream, came back home, took a job that became a career, found “the girl” and married her, bought a house, God added three boys, we added pets, often to many, started our own family traditions, time began to fly and now it’s Christmas, again, already!
Life happened fast and along the way seeds were planted in my life. Lots of seeds. Some never sprouted but some did and, some of those that did sprout gained a permanent space in my mind, shaped my life, produced fruit of Faith, family, community, tradition…. roots.
In my home today, elements of my childhood Christmas seasons still live on in stockings hung from the mantle, handed down ornaments that will be handed down again, a fire in the fireplace regardless of the temperature outside, no present opening until grandparents arrive. Breakfast casserole when we are done, then eat anything and everything you want, all day.
That’s Christmas at my house but, when I travel back home to Lucedale, Mississippi, Rocky Creek Community if you want to drill down that far, I’m a kid again, and Christmas is mostly as it has been for decades.
Main Street Lucedale is alive and thriving, lit up by decorations that include each light pole from one end of town to the other.
The huge star made of lights atop the towering grain silo at Roger’s farm still stands out from miles away, shining brightly against the night sky as if it were pointing the way home.
The house I grew up in will be decorated like Southern Living is coming tomorrow for a photo shoot. The same stockings will be hung from the mantle, the antique buffet in the living room will look someone robbed a high-end bakery, the wood floors will still creak in the same spots, the heater in the hall will be the place everyone goes to warm up, we’ll eat to much, mix in a nap, throw a football around out front, the sun will set to soon behind the barn in the back and when it does I’ll still get a little bit sad, as I always have, that Christmas day is over.
I grew up, I left home, I did all the things, and all the things fell short of adding to my life what I learned in a map dot town in Southern Mississippi, and that is this….
Faith in God through Christ is everything. Family, community, tradition round life out. Roots, run deep.
Nothing else in my life gathers these things together in one spot and puts them on full display, like a Christmas gathering in the Mississippi map dot town that I will always…. call home.