When I think about "What I Miss Most About Christmases Past", I clearly remember my Mom showing respect for each Christmas card that came to our island-home mailbox. Here's how she did it. She could be found scotch-taping all the Christmas cards to the interor living room doorframes of our home. Yes, the cheerful cards that arrived at the Willis address became decorations in our home year-after-year.
It was both sacred and inspirational for me to view each beautiful Christmas greeting card and to carefully read the names of the senders. I suppose it was my way -- as a young boy -- of blessing them back.
After the holiday decorations came down in January, Mom would always pack the current year's Christmas cards in with the candles and ornaments and save them until the new ones arrived the following Advent season.
Guess what? I am my Mother's son. Yes, I still do the same thing. I don't scotch-tape Christmas cards to doorframes, but I do still save the cards for a whole year. And, I don't pack them away. I keep them in a gift bag in my clothes closet and reread them from time-to-time from January through November of the new year. Often I breathe a prayer for those who have signed their names in the cards.
As much as I miss Mom reverently scotch-taping the Christmas cards to the doorframes during "Christmases Past", I honestly cherish getting the "Christmas Present" cards in our mailbox even more.
As I write these thoughts, three new Christmas cards have already arrived in our mailbox today.
Indeed, I count each card sacred and the inspiration they deliver is undeniable.
Grateful
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