The fun in travel is discovering new intersections – not so much of roads – but of relationships. On our recent Christmas in England, we had several examples of the role serendipity plays in making travel interesting and often amusing.
On the flight to London, I happened to have brief exchange with one of the flight attendants, a jolly middle-aged blonde named Susan. It was about the fact that “cream” in airline lingo does not mean cream at all, but half-and- half. That was all they had on the flight, but then she asked when we were coming back. Upon hearing the date, she said she was assigned to that flight and would sneak some proper cream from the first class cabin so that my coffee would be as I liked it. Uh-huh, thought I.
At the cabin door ten days later, she greeted me as the “cream man,” and before take-off, we had a fine chat. Turns out she hadn’t been home much at Christmas, home being Salt Lake City, but she and her husband were coming to London early in the new year for a few days “without the kids.”
We did not know that our first intersection would be in the air enroute to England, but we shall treasure it, because she made us feel like good acquaintances and not like sheep in a pen heading for the abbatoir.
In fact her generosity of spirit was the first of several presents we received along the way.
Oh, and the cream was deeeeeeelish! Many thanks, Susan. Happy New Year to you and yours, and many smooth flights in the years ahead. You were delightful.
One day, we were coming out of the tube and near the top of the stairs we saw a young woman struggling to get her bright yellow suitcase up that last step. “Old guy ready to help,” I shouted and manged to assist her in getting her case to the top and level ground. She was quite young and smiled in relief. “I have taken the train all the way from Switzerland today,” she exclaimed, “and I live just over there,” she added with a pointed finger in exclamation.” She thanked us and added “Happy New Year” with a great big smile and crossed the street on the way to her 2010.
The last morning, we were finishing breakfast at Carluccio’s just across from the South Kensington tube station (both highly recommended). In getting up, I inadvertently knocked over my chair which hit the floor with a tremendous crack and thus frightening the woman at the table behind. I apologized and noticed her son had an iPhone. So do I, so I asked him how many apps he had. “Too many,” interrupted his father.
I asked the lad if he had “Lumosity,” and when he said he did not, I encouraged him to get it so that he could beat his father and so get even more apps. Turns out the father attended the choir school at King’s College, Cambridge, an institution with which I have had a long relationship. More Happy New Years wishes and several variations of “Have a safe trip.”
Getting off the tube at Heathrow, we took a lift with a young woman who seemed very concerned. Once off the elevator, she started looking around for her flight. Karen sensed her concern and stopped to help. Her flight for home in Athens left several hours later and - like the rest of us - a new language and new airline procedures left her anxious and fearful. So Karen went to work, calmed her down, and as we had a flight to catch shortly, we headed off, but the young woman we left was now calmer, and the last thing she said to us was, "God bless you." Another gift happily received.
We have several friends in London, Cambridge, and Norfolk, and every one we saw during our adventure made a special effort to help us celebrate Christmas – not always an easy task so far from home. From leaving home in the suburbs to join us for a meal and events in London, to adding us to a Christmas celebration and preparing meals which were memorable. One of these included the following libations – sparkling white wine, aquavit, red wine, and whisky. That no one suffered a hangover after this was something of a minor miracle.
And the friends we travelled with were positive, supporting, curious, independent, kind, generous, and tolerant. While this Christmas had few of what most would describe as presents, we were surrounded by gifts from friends and strangers, and the result was a Christmas which will live in our memories forever.
Riding on waves of kindness from friends and strangers -there could be no better to slip into January.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
When I began blogging some years ago, I was always surprised and delighted when a reaction to something I'd written arrived on the electronic doorstep. Seven years ago, I received a response from Terry Riley, this year's guest Christmas screedist. Terry remained hard to find, but each year he would send along his reaction to what I'd written, and I've always liked what he thought and his way of expressing his ideas.
My schedule this year made it difficult for me to think about writing something, but - for the first time - Terry beat me to it. I asked his permission to reproduce his message, and he generously gave it. I look forward to providing him with my reaction when I come up for air. All good wishes of the season to you and yours.
Nick Nash
16th December 2009
Dear Nick,
As you are closing early for Christmas this year I wasn’t sure if you were going to be able to squeeze in a 2009 Christmas Screed. And as it is my tradition to read and offer a (hopefully) thoughtful response I figured I better fire off a pre-emptive Christmas Screed note.
You may be wondering why I write once a year. To be honest I’ve always had intentions of writing more frequently. But I guess you know what they say about good intentions. But I think my motivation for writing comes from my interest in and desire to talk about Christmas and its meanings. Add to that the phenomena of changing attitudes to how we embrace (or not) the holiday season as we get older. I guess it’s a time for reflection, not just on Christmas itself but on our lives, relationships and ways in which we interact with the world.
I also write because I met you once. I actually interviewed for a job with your company back in the early 90s. I’ve since gone on to work at a variety of companies in the Twin Cities, and am currently doing market research-related work in White Bear Lake. I found you to be an interesting, thoughtful person, in addition to being brave enough to launch your own business.
At any rate, the first time I read one of your essays -- Christmas of 2002 I believe – I had a strong emotional reaction. You seemed to hit the nail on the head in terms of how I approach Christmas conceptually, but for which I am usually not articulate enough to express. I just had to say, in the form of a response, how much I appreciated your thoughtful words.
To me Christmas is a many-splendored, bittersweet, lovely and melancholy time, incorporating a variety of elements and emotions. Although I was raised as a Catholic, I’m by no means devout in the practice of that particular flavor. I’m in the believer camp, however, and certainly the Nativity and all its glories comprise a rather large chunk of my personal holiday hodge-podge. There are other elements as well, many of which date back to pagan times and which we still incorporate in our celebrating. And of course the feelings of warmth, generosity and general good will that seem to bubble up at this time of year. There seems to be a strong need to reconnect with friends and family at Christmastide that is not as strong at other times of the year.
And I usually have no trouble conjuring up a decent dose of Christmas spirit and pride myself on being able to cut through the commercialism and extraneous clutter to keep Christmas in a personal way. This year, however, I’m experiencing extreme CSD – Christmas Spirit Dysfunction. I just can’t seem to get it going. I need to, however, as I have two small children who are still in the wonderment stages of their lives with respect to Christmas. But maybe my age (50) is working against me. Mid-life angst could be a drag on the whole thing I suppose.
I’m sorry if I’m telling you things you may have already experienced in your own life, like I’m the first one to experience them. I will say, however, that I’m not giving up yet, and will do my best to keep Christmas, if any man alive possesses the knowledge (to borrow from Dickens).
I'd like to close with a few of the words from what has recently become one of my favorite English carols -- "See Amid the Winter Snow."
Teach o teach us holy Child,
By thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble thee,
In thy sweet humility
I think we all would do well to consider these words this Christmastide and in the coming new year.
Terry Riley
My schedule this year made it difficult for me to think about writing something, but - for the first time - Terry beat me to it. I asked his permission to reproduce his message, and he generously gave it. I look forward to providing him with my reaction when I come up for air. All good wishes of the season to you and yours.
Nick Nash
16th December 2009
Dear Nick,
As you are closing early for Christmas this year I wasn’t sure if you were going to be able to squeeze in a 2009 Christmas Screed. And as it is my tradition to read and offer a (hopefully) thoughtful response I figured I better fire off a pre-emptive Christmas Screed note.
You may be wondering why I write once a year. To be honest I’ve always had intentions of writing more frequently. But I guess you know what they say about good intentions. But I think my motivation for writing comes from my interest in and desire to talk about Christmas and its meanings. Add to that the phenomena of changing attitudes to how we embrace (or not) the holiday season as we get older. I guess it’s a time for reflection, not just on Christmas itself but on our lives, relationships and ways in which we interact with the world.
I also write because I met you once. I actually interviewed for a job with your company back in the early 90s. I’ve since gone on to work at a variety of companies in the Twin Cities, and am currently doing market research-related work in White Bear Lake. I found you to be an interesting, thoughtful person, in addition to being brave enough to launch your own business.
At any rate, the first time I read one of your essays -- Christmas of 2002 I believe – I had a strong emotional reaction. You seemed to hit the nail on the head in terms of how I approach Christmas conceptually, but for which I am usually not articulate enough to express. I just had to say, in the form of a response, how much I appreciated your thoughtful words.
To me Christmas is a many-splendored, bittersweet, lovely and melancholy time, incorporating a variety of elements and emotions. Although I was raised as a Catholic, I’m by no means devout in the practice of that particular flavor. I’m in the believer camp, however, and certainly the Nativity and all its glories comprise a rather large chunk of my personal holiday hodge-podge. There are other elements as well, many of which date back to pagan times and which we still incorporate in our celebrating. And of course the feelings of warmth, generosity and general good will that seem to bubble up at this time of year. There seems to be a strong need to reconnect with friends and family at Christmastide that is not as strong at other times of the year.
And I usually have no trouble conjuring up a decent dose of Christmas spirit and pride myself on being able to cut through the commercialism and extraneous clutter to keep Christmas in a personal way. This year, however, I’m experiencing extreme CSD – Christmas Spirit Dysfunction. I just can’t seem to get it going. I need to, however, as I have two small children who are still in the wonderment stages of their lives with respect to Christmas. But maybe my age (50) is working against me. Mid-life angst could be a drag on the whole thing I suppose.
I’m sorry if I’m telling you things you may have already experienced in your own life, like I’m the first one to experience them. I will say, however, that I’m not giving up yet, and will do my best to keep Christmas, if any man alive possesses the knowledge (to borrow from Dickens).
I'd like to close with a few of the words from what has recently become one of my favorite English carols -- "See Amid the Winter Snow."
Teach o teach us holy Child,
By thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble thee,
In thy sweet humility
I think we all would do well to consider these words this Christmastide and in the coming new year.
Terry Riley
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