Bumped into Christmas

Once upon a time, there was this young man named Ryan. Ryan hated Christmas. He hated Christmas so much, that he avoided it at all costs. Faked illnesses, faked injuries, pretended to be on a volunteer work assignment, you name it, he used it as an excuse. Anything to get out of having to celebrate the holiday.

It was not just the festivities on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, that Ryan did cartwheels to avoid. Ryan also managed to escape the town's activities that led up to the holiday, starting from the day after Thanksgiving, when the Christmas Season, officially began.

Ryan did not even go to stores during the holiday even for the bare necessities, due to the Christmas aisle, he would be exposed to just walking by, or be forced to listen to the Christmas music playing in the background, while shopping for his to do list. So, from the Friday after Thanksgiving through December 26, Ryan ordered everything he needed. No Christmas music, no Christmas treats, no Christmas movies, no tree, no lights, no mistletoe.

No one knew why Ryan despised the holiday so much. However, a few of his coworkers were about to find out! Ryan worked at a call center in Litchfield County, CT. He went into work on Dec 21, 2023, expecting to work his 8-hour shift, and be home in time to watch Jimmy Kimmel. Ryan loved his second shift job. He grown quite found of his coworkers. They have become like family to Ryan.

About 2 hours into his shift, the Northeaster predicted to pass right by his region, decided to take an expected turn, and an ugly one at that. The whole state got slammed big time. The state has not seen that much snow in 30 years!

The hotel next door to the call center was booked solid. What do you expect? This is December. Family was visiting from out of town for the holidays. The CEO sent an officewide email stating that everyone was free to stay right there in the call center. The shift supervisors were instructed to access the supply closet key and pull out 40 sleeping bags, pillows for occasions like this. After their shift was over, everyone had their turn to wash up in the bathroom, improvising of course, no one had shampoo, conditioner, bath towels, toothpaste, or toothbrush, but they did have wash clothes and soap, and they made the best of an unexpected situation.

While everyone was laying in their sleeping bag, with their handheld flashlights they were issued, one began singing Night Divine, another chimed in, before you know it the room was filled with a peace that Ryan has not felt in years. Last time Ryan remembers feeling that way, he was a little boy, sitting by the tree with his mom, watching a Christmas special on tv eating Christmas cookies. It was a happy time in their lives.

Then the worst time of Ryan's life arrived a month later. Guess you can say, Christmas was never the same since. You see, Ryan shut out Christmas, because it just hurt too much to remember what he once had, before things got hard, real hard.

Yet tonight, the softness, and calmness, in the atmosphere, had allowed Ryan to remember the way it felt to have his mom tell him she loved him and kissed him goodnight on his forehead. Ryan began to twirl his hair, just as he did, the night that the cancer took his mom away, and every night sin.

Thanks to his coworkers trying to keep the spirit of Christmas alive while snowed in at their workplace, Ryan was able to be transported back to a much happier time in his life. A time where he still had right in front of him, a mother's love. He could feel the spirit of Jesus wrapping his gracious arms around him. The feeling was so warm and loving, he never wanted it to end. " Maybe I been foolish to escape Christmas after all," he thought. " I thought it would hurt too much, but it actually heals me."

Before you knew it, Ryan was sound asleep. He woke up the next morning to the sound of the DOT plowers just outside the four-story window of the commercial building where Ryan worked for the past few years. Within just a few short hours, the whole call center team was outside with their personal shovels digging out their cars, and back on the road headed home.

On the way back to Ryan's studio apartment, he happened to pass a tree farm. Ryan stopped the car and purchase a small tree. He then drove to the local thrift store and picked up some ornaments. He went home, and boiled some hot water for hot cocoa, and decorated his tree to Mariah Carey's Christmas Special, followed by Johnny Cash's Christmas Album on CD.

, The next morning was Christmas Eve EVE, he drove down the commentary, and decorated his mom's grave for Christmas and sat down and had a great conversation with his mother, best conversation he had in years with anyone dead or alive. Then he went home to bake up some cookies through some steaks on the grill. Then he went to Toys R Us, to buy some gifts, and sat on his living rug that night and attempted wrapping, oh boy! Hey, its the thought that counts, right?

Ryan picked up the phone and called his brother Patrick and wished him a Merry Christmas. Patrick was shocked. He was like, " Wait, what? You do not do Christmas! Who is this dude! What have you done with my little brother!" Ryan replied, " Ryan is back! " He shouted and jumped up and down in excitement! " He then added, " The OATMAN is back!" He then invited his brother Patrick, his wife Kiara, and their sons Ryder and Zander over for Christmas Eve Dinner the following day.

Kiara heard the conversation in the background, ran to the phone, took it out of her husband's hand, and said, " Of course Ryan, we would love to join you for Christmas!" Ryan said his goodbyes to his sister in law and brother, and hung up the phone. Then he settled down on the couch, smiled at his picture on the fireplace mantle of his mom, and said, " Mom this is going to be a good Christmas, just like the ones you made so nice for us, thanks Mom for showing up this year, and reminding me of the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus and togetherness."