When they become "just another day" ...

... but shored up by memories!

As time passes by, I see the handwriting on that proverbial wall more and more. The deposits to my memory bank gain more interest the older I become. Those memories have become much more detailed. It's no longer just the who, when and where things happened, but the what and why. 

And in my dreams, I've spent priceless time with those who are waiting for me. More and more. Accurate details ... right down to the ingredients in grandma's gravy! We kids sitting at the breakfast table exactly where we always sat. Dad saving the best Christmas gift 'til last, hidden away in the attic. Mom's traditional dishes that made us salivate. The big old Buick's that gram & gramp came to visit in. Way too many memories to go into, but very welcome nonetheless. 

I begin to wonder what to attribute it to ... 

The title of this post gives a clue. People have a tendency to forget that holidays, particularly Christmas, leave many alone who were once surrounded by family. I can attest to the fact that, with each year, the holidays become less important because I've steered it that way. It's just a lot easier than wishing and pining away for that which was. One week before Christmas 2009, I lost Ben. So yes, sometimes the memories are better than the disappointments. 

I can only imagine what those grandma's, grandpa's, mom's and dad's who are alone in nursing homes are going through. If I could wave a magical wand and give them what they need, I would do it in a heartbeat. If I've learned nothing else, I'm happier when I've done something for someone else, no matter how small. But there comes a time, as many others have alluded to, when you wonder if anyone is still out there. 

Never be too busy to remember someone ... you don't know the deep, dark road they may be on. I have work friends, church friends, serendipity friends, but very few solid ones. I spend a great deal of time breaking my Rule #1 -- "Live in the Now", because I'm wondering where all of this is going. 

So yes, my furry little housemates and I will spend our first Christmas together, alone, remembering the reason for the season, and cherishing memories. Nothing under the tree ... just memorable ornaments on it. 

Christmas is a time

when you get homesick ...

even when you're home.