Moments of Christmas

1.

I almost didn't go to the party last night after hearing about Carlene's accident, but since I'd made a cake, decided to at least stop by and deliver it.

A man-couple, these two guys had decorated their house and yard magically, a taste of Christmas Pasts and good cheer.

When I left, one of them gave me a totally unexpected gift--a big bag of treasures: hand lotion, a black and white tea pot, a peach candle, a beautiful inlaid box, a silver bracelet and a Christmas tree night light, and other things.

I took the bag home and opened it, feeling like a girl on Christmas morning, cheered by the friendship of men who had picked such lovely gifts for me.

I didn't stay long.  I was preoccupied with the news from Georgia and was listening for phone calls.  But when I left this morning, the sound of "We love you!" in my head like sugarplums, I felt I'd had myself some real merry.

2.

Instead of going to Helotes as planned, Helotes came to me--while Day and Tom and Jackson were on the phone helping me plan my trip.  I was teary, and worried that the little kids would be disappointed that I wasn't going to spend the night as promised.  (I'd already packed my new Santa pajamas!) "We understand," Nathan said, hugging me at least three extra times. "And we'll be praying for Nana."

When Veronica's dad--who speaks only Spanish--gave me a hug and said something in Spanish I didn't understand, I realized that it's not the literal words that matter so much when you're facing something hard and frightening.  It's the nonverbal expressions from one human heart to another.

3.

A man on the flight helped me lift my suitcase into the overhead bins.  A San Antonio soldier, he and his wife were traveling to Atlanta in hopes of a cure for his wife's illness, caused by breast implants.

"This disease [breast implant illness, BII] has robbed me of ten years of my life," she said. It's a common disease, they told me, bringing on severe fibromyalgia and joint pain and chronic fatigue.

Her entire face and body were etched with pain and her husband stroked her arms and held her hand.  "We're so hopeful," he said.  "We're not going to stop until we find a cure."

They promised to call me when we all get back to San Antonio with updates--and their final words were, "We'll be thinking about your mom--let us know!"

4.

I met a woman at the Enterprise desk named Deborah.

Deborah travels with a group who saves elephants and trains people to treat "the smartest animals on the planet" more humanely.

In a short space of paperwork time, I told her about Carlene--and she literally got tears in her eyes to match mine.

"She's going to be okay," she said when I showed her a photo.  "She has a huge life force and she's going to survive this, I promise.  I know things."

5.

Yesterday morning, I went to Walgreens to buy some new bedroom shoes.

I also needed some moisturizer and lip balm.

But the line was too long and I left empty-handed.

When my plans changed, I decided to go ahead and open gifts from Jocelyn and Day.  Both of them give fun presents with lots of colorful and sweet-smelling things inside....

Including, this year, get this: comfy bedroom shoes, bath bombs, moisturizers, soaps, lip balms!

6.

It's a good thing I've started crying again.

So much sweetness--I've had several occasions in one day to let 'em flow, those new tears.