Home for Christmas, Pt. 2

It's funny how things work out. I'm leaving for the States in four days, and already plans are beginning to solidify. An invitation for coffee with an old friend from high school now includes my daughter and a day of shopping in downtown Seattle. I suspect my son will join in, too.

It's been years since I've been in the city during the winter holidays (actually, it's been several years since I've been downtown at all!). Intellectually, I know The Bon Marche is gone, Macy's in its place, but I still expect to see Christmas in its windows. I'm not sure what street decorations will be up, but I assume there will be some. Still, I know things aren't the same as they once were.

Christmas Trees are now called Holiday Trees by some, and SeaTac Airport got sued by someone a couple of years back for having a tree up while not recognizing other holidays: Political correctness gone mad.

In a few minutes I'll be heading up to my school's auditorium to attend the Christmas Service for our 12th graders and 7th graders. The highlight will be when the seniors sing Handel's "Halleujah!" chorus. Of course, I teach in an all-girls private Christian school here in Japan, but I actually like the traditions of Christmas. It's the PK in me still.

One of my goals is to try to get my parents to a Christmas Eve service. They've pretty much stopped going to church: Mom's eyesight is almost gone, and Dad's hearing is shot. It must be hard on them, I think, not going to church, when their whole lives revolved around the church for so long.

So plans are being formed. I'll be back in four days.

Home for Christmas

It's been awhile since I've posted (the name of this blog IS appropriate), but it's been a hard couple of months. After my father suffered his stroke, I booked a ticket back home for Christmas.

That feels wrong to say. I've been living in Japan for 26 years, and in this house for 16. I've been married for almost 23 years. Home is here in Japan. I'm leaving home for Christmas. But the Pacific Northwest is where I came of age, attended university. It is where my parents live, my brother and his wife. I was 29 when I moved to Japan for supposedly one year. So somehow I'm always stuck with this dichotomy: Which is home?

My son and daughter are in university in Washington State. Is it their "home" now?

My younger brother, who has been taking care of my parents, was hospitalized for a week. He's home now, but still not close to 100%. My going back to the States for the holidays is more important than ever. It will be great to be with my parents, my brother and my children. But my wife is staying here in Japan to help take care of her own family.

So I'm going somewhere for Christmas. God help me, it still feels like home.