The Holidays were definitely a mixed blessing for me, this year. It all started with my Christmas ornaments being stolen from my storage shed. The ONLY thing taken was my box of hand-made ornaments, one for each year of my family's growth, with so many special ones made by my daughters as they grew up.
My favorite thing was to sit in the quiet of the evening, enjoying each ornament and the memories attached to it. Now, that's gone. I almost put up a tree. Really. I almost did. Sadly, I found I couldn't face my tree without my memories -- it was just too open a wound.
We grieve for the loss of our loved ones and, yes, our pets. But, it isn't until we face the loss of those inanimate objects holding so many dear memories that we understand the links of love we have to times, places, people, and tokens of that love. The simple act of decorating one's home for any holiday is to remind us closer to those we love and all that we share.
Those ornaments shared and handed down from generation to generation, though tattered and worn, are the most prized. Mine, like yours, also had irreplaceable photos as part of some of those made by other loving hands. Why would anyone steal someone else's ornaments? It boggles the mind. But, according to the police, it's because they're probably going to be sold by someone else as one of their own handmade ornaments at some roadside stand or flea market.
Well, I didn't go looking for them. The idea of my doing that was just totally unacceptable. So, although I had absolutely wonderful holidays with family and friends, my favorite little tree ceremony has been put off until next year. Will start to work on some new ornaments this year, making new memorials for those I've lost.
There are so many others who have lost so much more than I that it's almost sinful to complain, and, for that, I apologize. But, I did want to wish all of you a great 2007 with lots of opportunities to make happy memories.
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