The quiet of twilight

It's suddenly quiet in the house.  Everyone is sleeping, even the cat and the mice.  The sun is setting about now and the early twilight of a winter solstice evening begs to enfold the air.  The quiet, calming and serene is welcome after the mad rush to get out every last package before the US Postal service's deadline.  Staying up all night to do it, we made it.  The last mailing of packages and boxes to arrive for Christmas was noon today. 


3 trips to the post office, 1st to mail the packages, then to mail the forgotten packages and finally  mailing the packages that just got paid last minute. 


Even "twitter" is fading away in the evening's calm.  Most everyone is done with their online shopping.  A few stragglers here and there lurk in the shadows, watching perhaps, for a final sale or deal that might exist but the real rush of the last 20 days is finally over.  Any shopping that could occur in the next few days will be at local shops to be anywhere near relevant for the holidays.  No one expects a package to arrive on time by now.  The calm after the storm.


The sun fades quickly now at my back as I sit here contemplating the frenzy that had come to be a daily event in our lives.  Not quite dark enough to turn the gay colored lights of Christmas on but gentle time, the between time of anticipation.


 And I think to myself, "Somewhere all around the world, lots and lots of people are going to have a lovely Christmas because of all that work."

As for me, I think I'll give in to the silence.  A nap about now would be very welcome.  Ah, the Holidays are about to be upon us.