A Quiet Christmas Morning
Facilitated By Leonie Anderson
April 11, 2022
A little boy named George and his dog Richard are enjoying Christmas morning in 1993 out in the snow. They live in a medium-sized town in Illinois, and George attends an elementary school nearby. George woke up before the sun rose because he was so excited to open his presents. After opening his gifts with his parents and having pancakes and hot chocolate, George's mom got him dressed up in his snowsuit so he and Richard could play outside. There was a blizzard last night, and both the boy and the dog love the snow. Their favorite game is playing fetch with snowballs. George throws the snowball and Richard runs and tries to catches it, although it usually just falls apart in his mouth. They have played this game every Christmas morning ever since George's parents gave him the dog three Christmases ago. As George throws the snowballs, he dreams about being a professional baseball player who is pitching strike after strike. The two are best friends, and they are inseperable. It is completely silent. They can't even hear the sound of cars passing by, just their feet crunching in the snow and their own laughs and barks. Everyone is safe and warm in their houses for Christmas and the snow is absorbing all the other small sounds. It is peaceful and serene. They both feel content and happy and at peace in each other's company. George's school teacher lives several houses down, and he is out shoveling the side walk in front of his house, watching and smiling at the two playing around while his own kids play inside. His parents are also sneaking glances at the two from their couch as they drink coffee in front of their fireplace and enjoy the calm after Christmas morning. Christmas day in this family is full of traditions, and after George and Richard are done playing outside, the two will return in the house, get in warm, dry clothes, and watch A Christmas Story by the fire while eating deli sandwiches for lunch and playing with their new toys for the rest of the day.
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