2020 Home for the Holidays

2020 Home for the Holidays LINCOLN DAILY NEWS November 25, 2020 Page 57 large, old-fashioned bulbs glowing yellow, red, orange, green and blue. The thing was, while only the area around my eyes was exposed, the bitter cold and the kicked up and blowing snow stung and blurred my sight, so that the lights turned into beautiful impressionistic scenes. I will always remember - the winter smell and sounds - the crunch, squeak and shush, as buckled rubber boot falls crushed each foot of fluff; and the cadence of the sled struts as they glided and chugged into the deep and silent night. On return, I had managed though not easily, to stay on board and more importantly to not lose my brother. Just imagine if I’d lost him in a drift. We might have been out all night looking for him. I’d still be hearing about it. Slightly frozen and in awe, we tumbled into the car and with heater blasting hot as only those 1950’s cars could, we thawed on the way to pick up mom. It was for me the memory of a lifetime that our father gave us on a beautiful, silent and snowy eve. I still treasure a snowy night walk, feeling the flakes on my face and hearing the crunch beneath my feet. I think of that night and feel the shared tender awe and closeness of family all over again. My wish for you this year is to remember your moment, and to create a simple memory to be held special by someone else this season. The smallest acts often become the deepest remembered. Wishing you the simplest happiness this season! John and Janet Babczak, Streator, IL