Fond Memories - Reflections

Irene live in Massachusetts on the southeast coast, about 20 miles from Cape Cod. She is a registered nurse and has been in health care for 25 years. As yet single, she devotes her free time to crafts and the fine arts. Computers are starting to become quite a hobby, too! Her other interests include billiards, photography, painting, candle making, needlework and a lot else.

Irene loves to travel, but only to places that are remote and off the regular circuits. She finds discovering an area, without all the touristy stuff, quite an adventure.

I have met many scrooges over the years and I must say that the spirit of the season is all in one's heart. And, I must contradict many who feel that if one is alone, without "that special someone", then the world is a lonely place and the holidays are a nightmare.

For the past two years I have had a special someone in my life. But, he tried to make me into something I was not and as I watched my spirit die, a little at a time, I knew this was not the right path to take. I have spent many Christmases without a companion, but this year I don't feel lonely at all. I'd like to share with you why this is so.

The day I bought the Christmas tree was the perfect day, cold and crisp. I was sorry I had left my gloves at home as I helped strap the tree to the car, but that was a small price to pay. One of my friends, Dan, helped me set up the tree perfectly straight in the stand-oh, I must give him more credit--he carried it up the stairs as well. Unfortunately, he was feeling under the weather due to a bad cold and couldn't stay for the best part:the trimming of the tree!

Irene with her Christmas Tree Actually, I'm sort of glad I was able to be alone with my memories of many Christmases that have come before. As I took out each ornament, I savored the memory. The first one that I happened upon was given to me by my first real boyfriend. I was in my early 20's and was in my second year of nursing school. He gave me a special Christmas ball--hand-painted that pictured an angel dressed as a nurse. I then remembered the best times we had together and how we learned about relationships from each other.

Then, there was the set of ornaments I bought at a gift shop just before leaving my first assignment as a traveling nurse in Virginia. Memories of the people I enjoyed working with and the patients who touched me, (spiritually, that is) all came rushing back. My favorite memory is of a 98-year-old woman who nearly died of a heart problem. After the crisis was over, she looked at me and told me how tired she was but that she was afraid to sleep, she was afraid something would happen. It was about 11 P.M. I told her to go to sleep, to not worry since I would watch over her and wake her up if anything important happened. She took my hand and smiled and was asleep within minutes. It's a nice, warm feeling knowing I inspired such trust.

Then there was Lenny. Lenny is her nickname, I never knew her real name. Lenny was one of the bravest people I have ever met. She was dying of bone cancer, a very painful disease, especially, when she had it, about 15 years ago. Today, there are so many more and much better medications for pain control. A friend of Lenny's visited often and would do needlework while visiting. One evening, this woman came to me with a beautiful needlepoint Christmas ornament. She wanted me to have something for all my patience and understanding with her friend Lenny.

And, there is the Cat ornament that my nephews, now in their 20's, had picked out for me one year. As they told their mom, "That's exactly what Auntie Irene wants!"

The best ornaments, though, are the ones given to me by my mother. I have some crocheted snowflake patterns which my mom made for me when she was able to see. They are about 25 years old. My mother also gave me some painted Christmas balls that I can remember putting on the tree when I was younger. We were not allowed to pick these up when we were under 12 years old, as they were made of glass. I remember thinking how ugly they were after many years of use, faded, chipped paint, and how pretty the new plastic, brightly colored ones were in comparison. I used to put the old ones on the backside of the tree. Now, they are front and center, the place of honor, since they are the oldest of all, probably close to 50 years old.

No, I'm not lonely at all. Holiday memories keep me in touch with what life is truly all about.

Credits

Edited by Reeta Sinha.

Reeta Sinha is a librarian living in Northern California. In her spare time (she makes sure she has plenty of it now) she reads, writes, walks, takes photos, watches movies, listens to music, and reaches out in as many ways as possible to new friends and old, and her family that is spread around this world.