Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – December 16, 2004

Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – December 16, 2004

It’s Official

Short Stories From 10 Years Ago – December 16, 2004 – The holiday season has arrived. Our office Christmas luncheon was held today at Vaughan Estates behind Sunnybrook Hospital. Most of our agents turned up – some decked out in festive dress, most of us attired a cut above our usual real estate garb.

It’s really refreshing to see everyone dressed up. I was at the opera recently and people were there in blue jeans and work shirts. Such was not the case today and it shows that we care. I know Larry, our wonderful Broker, appreciates the effort. The first waiter to saunter by had fresh shrimp on a platter. I swear I could sit down and eat a bucket of these by myself. I managed to be satisfied with three, and I refrained from lunging after the waiter to steal his platter – after all a full turkey dinner lay just ahead.

I got caught up with a few of the agents I don’t see very often. There are over a hundred of us in the company and most of us work from a home base, so we’re hardly ever in the office together. There are sales meetings once a month, but invariably the same twenty agents show up, so I can go for months without seeing many of my colleagues.

A great group of people – both agents and staff work for Larry. Like attracts like and our office enjoys an enviable reputation in Toronto real estate circles. This year was Larry’s tenth anniversary in business, so the various and sundry scoundrels who work for him got together to give him a wonderful gift to acknowledge his fine leadership.

The dinner was superlative – dessert a delight. The conversation around my table was full of the usual good humour and deliciously sinful sarcasm typical of a room full of real estate agents. The speeches were mercifully short, the awards few and the acknowledgements appropriate. A friend of Larry’s was there to play the piano and we sang carols after dessert and coffee.

There is something about Christmas carols that always tugs at my heart. I can’t sing worth a tinker’s dam, but there are some beautiful voices amongst the agents in my office. A rousing rendition of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town started the afternoon, and to my delight Silent Night and Hark The Herald Angels Sing made it onto the list. Voices raised in chorus create a beautiful sound.

I looked around the room at all the familiar faces. Each of us with a story to tell – victories to celebrate, challenges to face and disappointments from which to recover. It felt good to be there – part of a whole that is a positive force in the lives of many Torontonians. Dorothy and I left about four-thirty and I headed back down. town. She to her abode, I to The Alphabet Boys and a quiet night at home.

I’m off to the St. Lawrence Market tomorrow morning with Dorothy to buy goodies for my Christmas dinner on Saturday night. It will be a lot of work, but it’s my way of saying a holiday thank you to my friends and family. I have an open house to attend on Sunday and then four dinners during Christmas week, each with people I like and appreciate. I’m convinced that there is no better way to spend the holiday season than with people you love.

It’s why this time of year is so incredibly special. Love and laughter are evident in every home I visit, and it makes me think again about how blessed my life is and how fortunate I am to be the woman I am. God continues to see something good in me. I need to remember that when times are sad, I’m worried and life has just tossed me an exceptionally hot potato to juggle.

The sun always sneaks through every black cloud – and the love and joy I feel at Christmas – should serve as a gentle reminder of all that is sweet and wonderful about life.