One’s mind holds a library of experiences accumulated
over a lifetime. When we are young, the storage space is vast but the inventory
is scant. Events add volumes to our library, which we access as needed.
The Christmas season triggers a desire to dust off some
of those favorite memories and spend time reliving our warmest memories. Some
events demand that they be related to a friend or family members. Others are
like a warm blanket that you just wrap yourself in and savor the memory within
yourself.
The memories begin cascading into your consciousness.
Grandmother is still bustling around her kitchen as she prepares Christmas
dinner. I can still hear her directing family members where to place the
various culinary creations on the tables. I can still hear her call for Grandpa
to come and carve the turkey.
Christmas mornings that you orchestrated for your own
children bring back delightful feelings. I remember taking great pains to hide
the stash of gifts where they couldn’t be found by kids who possessed the drive
to search of Indiana Jones. I remember staying up until two am before arranging
the packages under the tree to make sure that one of the kids wouldn’t wander
in while Christmas preparations were completed.
Inevitably the anxious kids would descend upon us by 6:00 am. Didn’t I
just climb into bed? Coming to the eventual conclusion that I was not going to
get any more sleep, the kids were ordered to stay in the bedroom while I stoked
the fire, turned on the train that circle the tree and queued up Bing Crosby’s
White Christmas before unleashing the ravenous hoard.
Our first Christmas in Island Park was a special time.
Christmas Eve we walked over to the Little Church in the Pines for the service.
After an enjoyable time, we made our way back as it snowed. One could almost
hear the heavy flakes hit the pine boughs as the moon lit the snow-covered
road. The calm and serenity we felt was amazing.
Whatever the memory, Christmas has become intertwined in
our life experiences. What I feel when I think of Christmas is gratitude for
the love and experiences that I have been given.
Merry Christmas from Sheri and I.
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