As I write this, snow is falling outside the window of my apartment which means my favorite time of the year is HERE! There are so many things I love about this season, but my absolute favorite thing is driving or walking around at night and seeing decorated Christmas trees in the windows of houses and apartments.

There’s something about it that feels so safe and warm like laughter over the sound of old home videos or the first bite of your favorite meal or watching someone you love do something completely ordinary and knowing they’ll never understand how much it means to you. I wrote about this feeling. This feeling of remembrance and discovery. This feeling of Christmas trees in windows.

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christmas trees in windows

we are young together.

and we know nothing of what’s to come.

just that there are stories

so many stories.

untold.

moments before there was a we.

when you existed separate from I

our pronouns never crossing paths.

you say you’d walk with me through the city

in the middle of December

when all the stores are closed

when the cold air reddens my nose and the tips of your ears

and the only light we have is from Christmas trees in the apartments above.

I tell you that sometimes I watch you

you’re staring down at a pot of water on the stove

or tapping to a song’s beat on your steering wheel

or your laughter kisses the air

and it’s in these moments, I know, there’s nothing I want to miss.

we are old together.

and the blonde in your hair has turned to gray

and all the stories have been told.

sometime, remind me of this:

of walks through the city in December

when all the stores are closed

when the only light we have is from Christmas trees in the apartments above.