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Tonight, with my lessons planned for the next 2 days, I am within just a couple of plans of winter break, which begins at the end of classes a week from Friday. As much as I am looking forward to rest and relaxation and time away from the screens that comprise my professional life right now, I wonder what this holiday will be like. 

All my life I have enjoyed Christmas with the family I was born to; in fact, over the years I have traveled many miles, even on Christmas Day, to do so. When I was in high school, I flew home to Saudi Arabia from Switzerland, in college it was an even longer trip from Hamilton, NY. In recent years, I have driven or flown from Buffalo, NY to Washington or Atlanta. But every hour in the air or on the road has been worth the comfort and joy of the company of my parents, while they were alive, and my brother and sister. We've never missed Christmas together.

But this year?

Nope.

It makes me so sad, but we have promised each other that we will gather again as soon as it is safe, and in fact we are even holding our gift exchange until then. So, Christmas will come, and then perhaps? It will come again.

After all, 58 years is a good streak! And I plan to continue it, with an asterisk by 2020, of course.