In lieu of trying to belong to any number of societies: Chesterton, Sherlock Holmes, the Inklings, and so on: I propose and establish one of my own. Don your intelligence cap at the door; dust off your logic and imagination; did you bring your inspiration and encouragement? We are shapers, my friends; lit lamps; light-bringers. Bring quotes; poetry should be uplifting and thoughtful, or witty and clever, (or both). Humor is encouraged; laughter is invited back. Pull up a chair. Anyone for tea?

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Memories


The memories are coming like a glinting string of lights

In variegated colorschemes of shadows and delights

By now my years of celebrating Christmases are several

Seasons of light, of Advent wreaths, and Maccabean candle

Traditions carried every year, in food, in song and story

The joyous shock of God incarnate, telling of the glory

Three siblings to enjoy them with, and more at age eleven

One star of hope in all our joy, the baby sent from heaven

So many thoughts and festive times within that blessed season

Arranging wood nativities in glad anticipation

From decorating cookies, cakes, to trees and candycanes

We pray each task is permeated with a glad "He came"

~Olivia 12.3.2012

sleigh-rides, years ago...
buying fragrant trees in the snow
-playing hockey on the driveway..
I think a great deal of the delight of this time of year is in the remembering of years past, all the different sorts of Christmases and seasons we've had.  The aromas that will remain with us forever, the time we changed our traditions a bit, and the parts that have been always the same.  The glory of the advent season, with its good news of great joy, that somehow still startles us when we look it full the face...


and of course, the snowman of a lifetime,
Christmas 2009
And with the years our lives change, the people and places we know and ourselves change too. I've gone from the child who climbed on the kitchen chairs to watch Mama whisk gravy, to mixing up those Christmas goodies myself, and helping my niece and nephew to help me.  I still have to climb on things to string lights (being the short one) but that's part of the fun anyway.  Christmas music on cassette-tape, and then CD, and then back to records, just because.  I get to stretch out under the twinkling of the Christmas tree and explain the nativity again to little ones, just like I heard it so many years in a row, and never tired of it.

I share with my sister and brothers so many memories and funny stories that I hope we don't forget... I hope actually, that as we grow older, we'll remember more; finding things we want to do differently in the future; and working harder, perhaps, to keep alive those traditions most dear.

3 comments:

Julian said...

Thoes memories are wonderful,and will be with you forever. You are a great writer,Olivia,and a kindred spirit. ( I like to write also) I remember sledding,snowmen,and freezing cold winters!lol. Happy wensday!
Christina

Unknown said...

Olivia dear, I never cease to be amazed at your God-given gift of "owning" the written word and sharing it so beautifully. Remembering the sleighrides. wow. Happy times indeed. Blessings. Gigi

Kat said...

Oh, my. I am enjoying your 'days of December' posts so much! Thank you for these joys. For putting down here these beautiful, capturing words and lovely pictures.