All the many memories of people and life gone by, it seems to somehow come back to life this time of the year. And I love it dearly.

You don't even have to look for it. It just automatically pops up every time casually glance in any direction.

For example, I was driving into the parking lot at Lewis the other day to simply stop in to mail a letter, and there it was. I saw something and it caused me to just sit in my car for a moment and experience a wonderful feeling. It was the Christmas trees lined up for purchase outside the store.

For some reason, I could see my dad dragging a tree into the house for a Christmas of the 1960's. As I let my mind go, I then saw mom carefully taking the decorations out of the old wooden box and putting them on the tree just right. This tree with the ornaments that I was remembering, was intended to be something special for a little boy.

That little guy was me. I still have the big yellow Tonka dump truck that I was surprised with from under that tree one Christmas morning.

Hearing any one of a number of holiday songs from years past takes me to a place from long ago. If I hear 'Silent Night', I find myself as a little boy sitting with mom and dad in church on Christmas Eve. I can hear my dad's voice whispering to me to be careful not to spill hot wax from my candle on myself. Meanwhile, the presents are at home waiting under that tree. The ride home from church in the car was a more thrilling trip than any luxury vacation I will ever take.

Sometimes it all seems like a dream. But, it was all real. The thing I love the most about Christmas, is somehow being able to go back and touch those special years.

 

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