Back in 2006, my best friend flew across the country to spend Thanksgiving with my family. I drove around the DC beltway to pick him up, and (because you never know with DC traffic) arrived at Dulles airport more than two hours ahead of his flight. Having figured out the airport to my satisfaction, I drove back down the road and got off at a random exit, whereupon I situated myself in a cozy little Panera a block or two away from the main road. From the window of the Panera, I could watch ice skaters glide merrily around a pedestrian-based town center. I graded papers and wrote a (really awful) parody of "The Night Before Christmas" that described travelling during the holidays. I enjoyed a leisurely afternoon of beauty and restful anticipation. My friend eventually landed (bearing two loaves of fresh-baked herb break in his knapsack), and I retrieved him from the airport.
As far as I know, that was my first encounter with Reston, although I did not yet know it was Reston.
Eleven years later, I live with the same best friend just about a mile away from that same town center. For all of December, Reston Town Centre is transformed with beautiful white lights, and the square itself is full of ice skaters (on real ice!) until well into the night. Yesterday my parents visited (also the reason that this post is a day late), so I took them for tea and then we strolled around the town centre as dusk fell.
It is beautiful here.
Non-traditional Christmas song of the day:
Ariana Grande, "Winter Things."
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