I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams...

This Christmas feels a little different. In fact, it almost doesn't feel like Christmas at all. 

But the train full of people with luggage and trimmings, bags with Santa and snowmen dangling from the hands of the men women and children hustling and bustling through the station, that snowflake-specked, oblong package tucked carefully underneath the arm of that man on the escalator. 

The red coffee mugs, the "snow" frosted glass, the lights and the trees--oh so pretty. 

The old-familiar carols set sometimes to strange new beats drifting again and again through the speakers: deck the halls and jingle bells and holly jolly. 

The signs are all there. 

(Literally)

It must be Christmas--that oh most wonderful time of the year. 

The calendar on my phone reminds me me it must be so...

But still it hasn't felt like it. This isn't what I would be doing on your typical Christmas Eve--riding a train from Vienna to Salzburg...

But here I am. 

It's thrilling, it's different, it's exciting, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and now is that time. 

But today I woke up with a bit of a twinge, a small check in my excitement. Because today was the first day that felt almost like Christmas. But it also felt wrong. 

This isn't how I normally wake up on Christmas Eve. This isn't our usual itinerary. Wait. 

And then that song plays again. You've heard it once you've heard it a thousand times. Every year between the 25ths of the last two months of the year. Over the speakers of every shopping mall, on commercials and more.

And you've always thought it a nice enough song. But it's never applied to you. It's always just been a song. And you've oft wondered if it's a sad song. 

You still wonder that. 

But this year you hear it and it resonates more deeply than ever.  And your heart takes up the tune because now you know for yourself the truth in the words, the emotion in the melody. 

This year, you'll attend a different Christmas Eve service. 

This year, you'll exchange gifts in April instead of December. 

This year you'll use the Internet to connect with your family, share holiday traditions, reminisce, smile, laugh. 

Because this year you're half a world away, chasing adventure. And while your spirit stretches forward and your eyes open wide to take it all in, your heart reaches back home. 

It's just a day. 

Only it's not. 

But no matter where you are, they know you love them, and you feel their love stretch arms wide to envelope you in all the warmth of home, and with a thankful heart you stretch your wings anew to fly again. 

And no matter where you are, you know what this day means. 

And no matter where you are, you can celebrate this, the day that He was born to die that you might live--so long ago on that silent, holy night. 

So wherever you are--home or away, near or far; whatever you're doing--whether it's rich in tradition or trailblazing anew; whatever this song, this day looks like, feels like--means--to you. 

From my heart to yours: 

Merry Christmas!

I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams...