One of my favorite things about the holidays is listening to the stories that our elder’s share about their childhood experiences. For example, I always enjoy hearing my mother-in-law, who grew up in the southwest Kansas dustbowl, talk about the Christmas she received an orange and a brand new pencil. It was a gift for the ages.
I enjoy hearing farm stories about Christmas morning breakfast after the cows were all milked and the cattle had been fed. I enjoy hearing stories about sleigh rides to visit friends in town across the snow covered gravel roads. I enjoy hearing stories of people sitting around the dinning room table cracking nuts and picking out the meat while sharing news of family and friends from across the country.
I also enjoy hearing stories about families that would go caroling from house to house, the baking of special foods that were only served once a year, or the home made gifts that people took months to make. All of these stories make us wiser, more hopeful, and more understanding of the true meaning of the holidays.
This holiday season I am looking forward to hearing more stories. But I also look forward to creating new experiences with our elders and our younger people that years from now will become one of those stories that gets shared over a good meal.
This holiday season may you and your entire family gather, share and celebrate with your elders. They will bring a rich and meaningful perspective to life’s journey.
Happy Holidays!
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