Our daughter and her children came to help us decorate the Christmas tree a few weeks ago and, as we hung each ornament on the tree, we found ourselves telling Nicholas, 4, and and Callista, 3, the stories behind many of the ornaments. There’s the 50-year old silver glass ball with “Leslie” written on it in glitter, the only ornament that has survived from my childhood, and the shiny ocean liner ornament that Fred and I bought to commemoriate our one and only cruise vacation. There’s the shiny brass angel engraved with our names and “1977”, given to us by my grandmother when we were newlyweds, and the corn husk dolls that I made with our children when they were lttle.
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| Our 2015 Christmas card The original artwork is 9″ x 12″, watercolor & ink, done in an Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook. |
Our lives are represented by the decorations on this Christmas tree, and each year when we carefully take them from their boxes and unwrap the tissue paper to reveal them once again, we’re flooded with memories of the people who have passed through our lives, the pets who owned us for awhile, and children who have grown to have children of their own.
Our lives haven’t been perfect. There have been dark days as well as sunny, but looking at our Christmas tree, I only remember the overwhelming number of good times we’ve had. It’s been a wonderful life, and I’m so very thankful for it all.
3 Comments
Unwrapping those ornaments and hanging them on the tree does bring a flood of memories, laughter and a few tears each Christmas. I love your Christmas card! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
And I have a pink glass ornament with Susie written on it in gold glitter that's about the same age as yours. I also just inherited some vintage glass ornaments when my mom downsized into assisted living. Such stories they all have.
I hope you and your loved ones have a Blessed Christmas, Leslie! Buckley and Molly too!
What a lovely way to count all your blessings. Your blog is always inspiring. Happy new year to you and yours.