By: Deirdre Littlefield
My oldest son enlisted in the US Army this year. We miss him terribly but are filled with pride.
As our family decorated our tree this year, it hit me hard; we were short one family member. Each decoration my oldest son made brought back a flood of memories and conversation to all of us. We laughed and we cried but mostly felt gratitude for the memories of Christmas past. The parades, the singing and dancing in the kitchen, the baking—it all came rushing back. Not one memory was surrounded by shopping or money. It was the feelings of the season that overcame me. His little smiling face and the gifts he gave to us from his heart are what stand out most.
This year, I️ will concentrate on my presence instead of the presents. I️ will savor every moment my five year old wants to sing with me and listen to every story he wants to make up about the holiday season. I️ will carve the time out of the day to bake with my eleven year old and help him wrap each gift he lovingly chose for others. We will enjoy our time together listening to music and packing backpacks for children in foster care. There will be no rush, we will do all of this with peace and content. These are the times that will pass and I️ want to remember each detail.
I️ hope you get to enjoy your holiday season as much as I️ do.
Community Voices for Health 