This past weekend, a group of residents along Evergreen Avenue lit up their street with what looked like thousands of luminaries.
After I left the office on Friday night, I made the drive down the street to enjoy the display myself. Seeing photos of the luminaries or focusing the eye of a camera on the display just isn’t the same as seeing it in a relaxed state of mind.
As I turned onto the street lined by a soft glow, I decided to turn off my headlights and drive with only my parking lights on and it proved to be a pretty good idea.
As I drove down the street I was surrounded by a glow that was simply too beautiful to put into words. I felt that familiar lump rise in my throat that signaled the beginning of some tears. I know it may sound silly to some people, but that feeling of unity in a neighborhood brought back memories of holidays from my past. I saw people wandering along the sidewalks of Evergreen Avenue and couldn’t help but feel a little bit of a loss knowing that kind of mingling among neighbors is almost completely lost to days of the past.
That, I believe, is the reason those residents on Evergreen Avenue decided to undertake such a fete.
With friends and family joining residents along the street, some joy was shared and hard work to a common goal was shared by everyone.
I was asked at least a half dozen times over the weekend about the Evergreen Avenue display. “Hey, what’s up with the luminaries?” or even “Why are they doing that?”
I’m sure the questions were innocent, but it saddens me to know that some, if not most, people can’t help but wonder why anyone would go to so much trouble.
Trouble? I don’t think it was any trouble for the folks along Evergreen Avenue over the weekend. From what I could tell, it was a joy!