In the Craziness, Old Ornaments Bring Peace

Christmas is one week away.  I don't have it all together these days, at work, in life, or even managing to relax.  I worry about everyone I love, I miss my California kid, and my still-to-do list is mostly unchecked.  There is always too much to do and not enough time to do it, so this morning, as I was going over that list of everything I think has to be accomplished today, I stopped.  Just stopped.  Instead, I took time to really look at the ornaments on my Christmas tree, and the decorations still randomly placed around my house (not  yet perfectly situated) and got caught up in the memories of Christmases past.  With that, a sense of peace came over me.

There's the Norman Rockwell ornament that was one of the very first collected in the early years, before kids.  There's Katie's first attempt at embroidery, and the ceramic angel, now missing one wing.  There's the tree-topper that's graced my tree since 1982, the one I made in a ceramics class and it has the kids' names etched on the bottom.  Then there's the Cabbage Patch ornament I made from a kit (made a lot of those!),  and Tricia's first stocking, in cross-stitch and barely completed in time, which hangs on my tree every year.  There's Meghan's nursery school construction paper bow with big red glitter, about 28 years old now (yikes!)...  I love the clothespin tin soldier one of the kids made at Greenfield Elementary School, looking its age, I'm afraid.  And the ceramic drummer boy, also made in  the same class that produced the tree-topper.  Each ornament has a story, and the ones that were once lost among the shiny manufactured ornaments are displayed with the most pride today.

These are a few of my favorite (Christmas) things!
(click to enlarge)

If you, like me, are caught-up in too many to-dos, stop and spend some time looking at the precious ornaments that you've treasured over the years.  I guarantee it will put things in perspective!

Have a great Sunday!