Caroling

One year (or maybe it was two or three?), a group of us church-goers decided to go Christmas caroling. I don't remember who organized everything, but we went around to a few different homes and sang traditional Christmas carols.

The majority of the people we caroled for were people we knew in everyday life. Some of them were elderly and so ill or disabled that they weren't able to easily leave their homes. We did end up caroling for a few strangers, though.

I remember one man in particular. He came out of his house wearing...well, they looked like pajamas to me. The sort of pajamas one would wear during a heat wave so severe that the window air-conditioner couldn't keep up with the heat and humidity and everyone spends the night uncomfortably damp.

I remember thinking, "that guy must be freezing cold right now." It wasn't bone-chillingly cold, but I do remember half-frozen, green-brown grass crunching under my sneakers and seeing miniature snowdrifts by bushes and fences.

He stood on his front porch with his arms crossed as we sang for him. I don't remember seeing him grin, but I sure felt it. I think we made his day with our songs.