The most wonderful time of the year! Yes, the reminiscences flow from the corners of our hearts. Our accumulated memories and treasured ornaments followed through many moves and lives. Each year we would gently unwrap each ornament, remembering what it symbolized, who made the family treasures, and the years of traditions, family, and friends.
My parents have been gone for many years and my children are far away with their new families. The boxes of our special ornaments and decorations followed through many moves, losses, and marriages…until 2011. The remnants of Hurricane Irene caused an electrical outage and flooded the bottom floor of my home. I was away and all my special family trinkets and ornaments sat in 15 inches of water for days.
Cleaning up was overwhelming, including tearing out walls, pulling up rugs, and throwing out ruined furniture. The most heart rending was discovering water had seeped through the plastic storage containers marked Christmas. All of these treasured momentos were gone, moldy and cracked, forever lost.
The memories and warm emotions remain. The uniqueness of each ornament though has slipped away. The annual tree decorating parties are gone. My family traditions remain only in my heart, but have faded with the loss of each special bauble and decoration to trigger the exact memory. My children are grown and are making their own traditions, very different but meaningful to their families.
In my heart I long to open the special boxes of ornaments and recreate the closeness of family, and I miss my mom and dad and my wonderful children! Family is the warmest and most important memory.
Life Gets Better 
Wow…I sure understand how you feel. Life is always changing and it is so hard to find a way to “settle in” to the new life we find ourselves in.
Family and friends are the most important, and I am starting to realize I need to let go of the past that I try to hang on to. Not an easy process for sure.
Hope you have a Peaceful and cozy Christmas❤️
UThank you for sharing…it’s comforting to know I’m not the only one!
Hey, just stumbled onto this site. Good to hear the bastards haven’t worn you down. This has been a crummy couple of years, so difficult to stay active. I’ve worked through several hobbies, pool (played in the national team championships), watch making (about like working on a toaster, but with really small tools). We’ve got a house in Venice, Fl. I met a guy there who plays ukulele. Now I have 6 ukuleles and play 4 days a week while there.
Brooke has 4 kids and is divorced. She’s doing well and just bought a house in Chevy Chase.
All for now. Don’t stop peddling!
Jim Harper
This has been the hardest two years. Samatha’s husband died in motorcycle crash. Seth’s brother-in-law died of fentanyl overdose. Both girls had COVID and months later Sara nearly died of double pulmonary embolism. Martha and John Fields are both in 80s now. I remain disturbingly healthy. We keep trying to travel in RV to keep safe. Miss international travel. Glad you are keeping well!