AARP Member
Offline
Background
Birthday: October 28
Location:
United States

About Me

I retired from a school district and took on running an office for a small early intervention program for a couple of years. When that business ran into difficulty, I decided to really test my ability at working outside my comfort zone by taking a job running the data base/scheduling side of a business that fabricates and installs granite counter tops. (It really did take me outside my comfort zone!) However, one year into this amazing stretch outside my comfort zone, the job merged with another company supposedly struggling, as well, under the weight of a current recession. The merge turned out to be a take-over, from my perspective, as I was given the pink slip invitation to the door within the first week. This provided me an opportunity to fine-tune my goals and tweak the resume' for better employment realities 'out there' for me. I love something I heard some time ago and have applied it to just about every thing that gets in my way; I reject your reality and substitute my own! I worked for nearly 30 years either with the deaf community or in the field of hearing/language disabilities as well as pre-verbal sign language for babies. I have one son, active Air Force/former Army

Interests:
I love to write, create computer art, and listen to music. I used to include dance but these days my enjoyment is derived from watching others dance...and that includes Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and America's Best Dance Crew!

My Photos (0)

This user does not have any photos.

My Videos (0)

This user does not have any videos.

My Journals (1)

It was Christmas Eve in a tiny, two-room apartment and my sister and I, ages two and four, are getting the Santa message to all good boys and girls; you’d better be good, I'm tellin' you why...Santa Claus is comin' to town.  I, being the oldest, had my doubts.  For one, we didn't have a fireplace and for another, and this was HUGE, it was RAINING!!  I was, however, guaranteed a visit IF I was asleep when Santa arrived.

The next thing I knew it was early morning and a cold, damp breeze was blowing across the bed.  The window behind the Christmas tree was opened just slightly, causing the sheer curtains to flutter gently, barely catching the branches of the Christmas tree...and then I saw it.  To my horror, on floor, was broken glass from the milk and cookies I had left for Santa!
 
I called out to my mother and both she and Daddy hurried into the room to see what was so important.  My dad immediately became animated in his annoyance, grumbling about Santa's bad manners, as my mom busied herself with cleaning up the shards of glass so we could get out of bed.  My dad wouldn't be silenced as he made it clear he had a bone to pick with Santa 'next year'.  My mom interjected excuses for the jolly old soul; he was busy...he had other kids to see...it wasn’t his fault it was sitting so close to the window.  All I knew was I had absolutely no doubt that Santa was really, really REAL!
 
This isn't so much about Santa as it is about the great lengths my mother went to in order to create magical childhood memories for her children...and my dad's willingness to let her.  This was just one of many Christmas mornings I was left wide-eyed and speechless in the wondrous ways of Santa Claus.  My parents spent their precious early childhoods in the Great Depression, but that magic wasn't lost on my mother’s imagination!  Between the two of them they so instilled a belief in the 'what if?' of Christmas that as a grown woman with two children of my own, I found myself thinking, 'what if?' for a brief time once when my mother-in-law mailed a postcard to my sons signed by Santa!
 
My mother out-did herself year after year, long after we had stopped believing in Santa.  The surprises and magic of Christmas remained until each of us left home.  Then the torch was passed to us, but we would learn that Santa could get 'confused' once in awhile and leave a package at Grandma and PaPa's house by mistake. 
 
My parents gave me the greatest gift they could...the realization that just because you grow old is no reason to grow up.  I have nieces and nephews who now grow in this magical and wonderful innocence that surrounds Christmas.  I know there is a growing trend to be honest with children when it comes to fantasies like Santa, but I am ever thankful my parents allowed my imagination and creativity to cut its teeth on the likes of Santa Claus.
 
My parents just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this weekend and it is with grateful appreciation for all the effort they put into creating precious childhood magic for me that I say….'Thanks...for the memories!'.
 
Added: July 26, 2009
Views: 198 | Comments: 4 | Bookmarks: 0
ltetkow says:

Loved your Santa story. On the December 19 when our son was born a long time ago, our holiday greeting said: "This Christmas was confused because the stork was racing Santa Clause. The stork has won! We have a son!"
Posted: October 17, 2009 10:22PM EDT
cwillis says:
Posted: October 3, 2009 8:21PM EDT
Add your Comments:

  Submit