I’ve wondered occasionally if the day will come when I would reflect upon my life and see it as complete. Perhaps one day I’d look and see that I’d raised my children well, been a kind friend, a community volunteer, that my existence had been put to good use. I imagined one day I would look back on my life and conclude, “Yes. It has all been accomplished now.” Perhaps that day would come in my 80s.
I did not imagine that day would arrive so quickly, when I was only 48, and that it would be on a Sunday afternoon in the back of a fire truck, yet here we are. An actual transcript of the phone call that led to this moment follows.
Greenbelt News Review (GNR): Hi Kyla. Question. Santa will be riding around town on a fire tru-
Kyla: YES!
GNR: How about we write to the fire department and see if you can –
Kyla: I’ll sign a waiver! I’ll sign away my life! I’ll sign away my kids!
And so it came to pass that on Sunday afternoon I sat in the back of a Greenbelt Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD) fire engine as it drove Santa around Franklin Park. Did I start to cry a little bit when they turned the sirens on?
Yes.
All that 5-year-old Kyla ever wanted was to be on a fire truck. Or to be with Santa. Or to hear sirens. But to be on a fire truck, with sirens on, with SANTA CLAUS? It was more than 5-year-old Kyla could take, never mind that 5-year-old Kyla is now housed in 48-year-old Kyla’s body.
It wasn’t until Sunday afternoon I realized the truth of my life, that it was not that my life goals were to do with generous friendship, parenting or volunteering. Rather, my life goals were to be in a fire truck with the lights and sirens on HANGING OUT WITH SANTA. Santa, on the other hand, maintained his focus on the greater good, spreading cheer around Greenbelt.
With help from the GVFD and the Greenbelt Police Department who escorted him, Santa made an extensive tour of the Franklin Park neighborhood before stopping for photos with community members in front of the leasing office. GVFD member Lisa Hegwood explained that because the Franklin Park complex is a “first do” for the Berwyn Heights Fire Department, historically Berwyn Heights has brought Santa to Franklin Park. Beginning last year, however, GVFD expanded their Santa Run to include Franklin Park at the request of Master Police Officer Sharnise Hawkins, the police department community liaison officer assigned to Franklin Park. Because of the pandemic, last year GVFD offered drive-thru photos with Santa, a way to safely engage the community. They intend to continue providing the opportunity in different locations throughout the city going forward. This year, photos with Santa happened at Franklin Park, and next year they’ll be held in an area yet to be determined.
Since I have lived in Greenbelt, I have looked forward to the Santa Run. I am out there on my porch waving just as mightily as any small child, hoping Santa will turn his attention, his wave, onto me. But having now sat in the fire truck, let me tell you a secret.
It is even better from the fire truck.
From my porch, I see Santa, maybe a helper or two. I see a handful of children and their parents – the ones I can see from my home as they line the street for their chance to wave. But from the fire truck? From the fire truck I could see all of you. I could see children running to the edge of the curb, faces alight with joy. I saw a woman holding her puppy up to see Santa. I saw the attendees of a baby shower – mother-to-be included – stream out of a building, laughing, waving, taking photos. I saw three young girls dancing. I saw more children and bounding dogs than I could count. I saw drivers grin and wave. As a person inside the fire truck, I was awash with joy. The joy of community. The joy of neighbors. The joy of playfulness. Joy, it turns out, is contagious.
So from this lucky fire engine passenger, thank you. Thank you to Santa and his helpers, GVFD members including Hegwood and Silas Fishburne, the police department’s MPOs Hawkins, Yomayra Rodriguez, Carl Roberson and Rakibur Rahman, and more. Thank you for spreading joy throughout the community. And thank you to the good people of Franklin Park for your joy, your engagement, your presence, yourselves.
Joy is no small thing.
Thank you for sharing it.
It appears I have completed all of my life goals. Now there is little left to do but sit around eating cookies and watching Hallmark movies until I die. Feel free to come over and watch some with me.
But if you are inspired to be like Santa and make a difference in your community, the GVFD is always looking for volunteers. Call 301-345-7000, check out their website at engine35.com or email recruitment@engine35.com for more information.
Wondering when you can see Santa next? The Santa Run continues at 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 23 in the Greenbriar, Windsor Green and Greenbelt Lake Village areas of town, while on Friday, December 24 Santa will be traveling through the Old Town, Lakewood, University Square, Boxwood and Lakeside North neighborhoods. You can follow Santa’s progress on your phone those evenings at glympse.com/!GVFDSANTA.
