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A Storehouse of Memories
By: Natalie R. Manor, CEO
Christmas. Just the word invokes so many thoughts
and feelings in those of us that have celebrated (or tolerated)
the holiday.
I inventoried my thoughts and feelings to see what
this holiday means to me and some of it was pretty surprising. I’d
like to share some of the thoughts with you.
First of all, Christmas means boxes. Boxes of “stuff”
stacked in my garage and storage space under the stairs. These boxes
hold the treasures of Christmas past with very very old ornaments
that my then baby girls made in kindergarten. They are barely recognizable
because they were made with love, but not with the reinforcement
they have needed to withstand the handling of all these years. Yet,
they are in the box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper to be unwrapped,
re-remembered and re-hung. However, sometimes, I just unwrap them
to visit them on a yearly basis. They don’t get hung on the
tree or mantel, but they are safely saved again for the next year.
Boxes of ornaments. Boxes of left over paper. Boxes
of loose ribbons and bows. Boxes of linens that can only be used
during the holidays. Boxes of things I bought that were on sale
from “Tuesday Morning” and were such a bargain that
I could not pass them up - and I have never used them.
Boxes are needed to put the new presents in and
to send the presents to those who won’t be with you for the
holidays. Sturdy cardboard boxes become precious about 3 weeks before
Christmas so you can wrap family and friend’s presents securely
and then have them shipped to the ends of the earth. Boxes needed
to get the food pantry items to church or the mission down the street.
Some of my boxes have turned into plastic storage
tubs with sealable tops that keep out bugs and moisture. I like
the see through kind so you can tell what is in the “box”
as you scan the pile of them in your storage area.
Presents come in boxes. Stuff comes in boxes and
then when you are done with it, you put it back in. When sorting
through the boxes, I sometimes will have wrapped the ornaments or
larger decorations in newspaper. As I empty a box I save the old
newspaper to rewrap the item. After years of doing this, I will
sometimes read the date or the article in the old newspaper and
that will bring me back to that time in my life.
Boxes. Who knew that so much of my life and who
I am and also some of my favorite memories are safely tucked into
an ordinary cardboard box or plastic tub?
So an ode to boxes and tubs
They “hold” it year after year
However, here the rub
My heart is in a box called Cheer . |
May you and your family be blessed this amazing
holiday season beyond what you thought possible and then some.
It is my sincere prayer that PEACE
and JOY be with You and Yours
this Holiday Season. 
© 2001-2008 Natalie Manor & Associates.
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