In my Journey through Life, I will:
Take someone with me: Cherish friendship and family, and let
time heal my heart
For the two days before Christmas 2014, I did my annual
visits to my siblings and friends, delivering a box of Christmas goodies to
each of them. I have to start the baking for these boxes around Thanksgiving in
order to have the variety and a sufficient amount of cookies, muffins, fudge
and candies that I think is “just right”. The baked goods are loaded into a
freezer, while I have to make the fudge and candy at the last minute. I also
include some kind of hand-crafted item; this year, the recipients found a
crocheted potholder or washcloth/soap holder set. I have to start the
handcrafting in the summer, in order to have enough for each box.
The point of the Christmas goodie box is not so much the
giving as the receiving: The two days that I spend delivering the boxes are my
two favorite days of the year, because I get to see almost all of my siblings
and receive their loving kindness, hugs, and kisses. It is not so much the
effort: It is a months-long experience of baking and creating, time that I
spend thinking of each individual and family and visualizing delivery day.
There were two additional special events for this past
Christmas: We participated in a tamalera for the first time at my sister
Peggy’s home, sitting around the table, making tamales with her and all of her
daughters and their daughters. I also
spent time during the year to create a special Prayer Shawl for my sister
Gloria, who lives in a local nursing home. Visiting with her and my niece
Shirley, a year after she lost her oldest son Arthur, Jr., was a special moment
that I will treasure.
Two years ago, I didn’t give out goodie boxes. I had just
experienced a significant weight loss, and it would have been very difficult
(and a bit incongruent) to do the required baking and cooking. Instead, I
created special Christmas rosaries for everyone and sent them out. It was a
melancholy Christmas, because, despite my loving and prayerful intention, I
didn’t get to actually visit with everyone. I was also estranged from one of my
loved ones, and my heart was in pain. That Christmas two years ago, I had lost
sight of the true meaning of my tradition – seeing everyone in the space of two
days, receiving my special hugs and kisses, catching up on the year, tasting
the Vigil/Baca/Valdez tamales and empanaditas that were unique to each of those
families.
For Christmas 2013, I reconciled with my loved one, resumed
my tradition of delivering my Christmas boxes, and vowed never to spend another
Christmas without cherishing my friends and family. For Christmas 2014, I kept
that vow.
No comments:
Post a Comment