Remembering

I know the Christmas season really depresses some people, especially those who have recently lost loved ones. Moods seems to come and go. Some years are ok and some…. I’d just as well skip the whole thing. But lately, I’ve come to think of it as a time for remembering those precious times we had together.

I’ve been robbed several times in my life….robbed of companionship. Not of love…that still lives in my heart.

My best friend was killed in a car wreck a few years ago. We had exchanged gifts every Christmas, so I discovered that I could relive our happy times every year when I decorated my tree. I have dozens of ornaments (yes, we were friends a long time) that she made for me. A couple she did in needlepoint and her beautiful china painting is as precious now as it was then (who would do that for me now?) I have several she made in her church crafts group, not to mention the ceramic Christmas napkin holders we did in class together. Eva still lives and always will for me.

My mother also was killed by a car crash. My daughters found a novel way to immortalize her special character….and my mother was a character, believe me. My mother was an Olympic Champion Bargain Shopper. One year a long time ago, she found an irresistible sale on chapstick and every year thereafter for Christmas, we each got a chapstick in with a present. It became the family Christmas joke and we always reminded her not to forget our favorite gift. Well, imagine my surprise when I discovered chapstick the Christmas after she passed. My daughter and dil are keeping her grandmother’s tradition alive, and how I love them for it. (P.S. every Easter my mother always gave me a VERY BIG SOLID CHOCOLATE bunny, even when I was way over 50…)





You know that guy on TV that’s “shopping challenged”. That could have been my husband. He never shopped until the 24th for me. And he knew he better get something just for ME….I bought everyone else’s gifts and my gift was his job. Bless his heart, he always bought me clothes that were a couple of sizes too small. I never had the heart to tell him…..come to think of it, he was just sneaky enough to do that on purpose. I just went and exchanged them or got something I liked better anyway. I’m sure he never noticed the difference….I think the salesclerk made the selections for him just to get him out of the store so she could close on Christmas eve. (I quickly broke him of the habit of buying me household appliances for gifts….I bought him a can opener one year)





I still top my tree with the beautiful hand sewn angel that my son’s long-time girlfriend (also killed by a drunk driver) had special made for me one Christmas. Shanna had ordered it for me that Fall and her mother brought it to me with tears in her eyes that Christmas. We still share wonderful memories of that lovely girl.





Well, I hadn’t meant for this to be so sad….rather, I intended it to be uplifting. Maybe you have to know sadness, to realize the real worth of something. But I hope you don’t have to lose someone in order to appreciate them. Go hug someone you love right this minute. I am.

The real spirit of this season is giving. It doesn’t matter what you give…..but the giving of your time is the most valuable gift of all. Spend time with those you love. I know, you’re busy. We all are. Make the time. There’s only so much of it allotted to each of us….and since we can’t know how much time that is, use it wisely. Spend your time on things that are worthwhile. And in the end….only people are really worth our time….not things. And spend time on yourself, too. There aren’t any roses out there to smell in December, and I don’t recommend smelling poinsettias…..but you get the idea. You are worthwhile, too. Take care of yourself. Someone is counting on you to be there for them.
Listen to some music and enjoy the eye candy.





And, of course, the very reason for this season was a Gift to us from a loving Father. Don’t forget to cherish that Gift with your thanks and praise.


it's just me, geni