Eloquent and poetic ... Mr. Keillor reminds us that things often look much better when we can look back on them, and that commonly our happiness is based on a certain amount of illusion.  But what of it?  We are much less rational creatures than we are emotional ones (though most of us don't care to admit it).  ;-)

My household will hear the PHC 'Now It Is Christmas Again' CD next Sunday morning, like it has every December 25 for nearly 20 years.