Memories: New and Old

I'm sure the blog-a-verse is full of writings about Christmas.  It is that time of year.  Fond memories of Christmas' past and hope for Christmas' future bounce around in our craniums causing sleepless nights or dreams of grandeur.  I'm the same save for one, small thing:  I don't remember Christmas as a child. 

Alright, I hear everyone going "WHAT!!!".  But it's true.  Outside of images in my mind stolen from pictures in an album, I can't remember a lot of my childhood.  And I don't know why.  I've asked and threatened, but my family isn't so forthcoming with stories of old.  So, I've chosen to make new memories and start my own traditions with my husband and family. 

One of the few things I do remember is Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang.  There is a picture of me as a small child playing under the Christmas tree in my PJ's (those old PJ's made of the softest fabric ever adorned with snoopy and woodstock), my winnie the pooh slippers and a toy train with a plastic Snoopy and my brother had the same train except he had Charlie Brown (I believe they shampoo bottles).  It was the best ever.  I loved Snoopy and still do to this day.  Just look at my facebook profile for the past few weeks.  Snoopy everywhere. 

Tonight after work, ABC Family was showing some of the old Christmas classics. "A Year Without a Santa Claus", the Miser Brothers Christmas and several others.  I love these things.  Chad thinks I'm the craziest person in the world because I know the words to the songs.  I think I'm just like a lot of other people out there.  Nostalgic.  These t.v. programs bring me back to my childhood and help me to remember what it's like to not have the cares of the world on your shoulders.  I think that if people remembered what it's like to be a child, just for a few minutes, some of the problems we face in our day to day lives won't seem so overpowering. 

I believe it was Jimmy Valvano (sp.) that said one time (excuse the paraphrasing): "If you laugh, you think and get moved to tears, that's a full day".  No truer thing has been said.  Being moved to tears, whether through laughter, joy, or some other emotional breakthrough is probably the hardest for most people to show.  Not me.  Hell, I cry at a commercial sometimes.  But I'm comfortable with that.  Why not?  Laughter:  who doesn't laugh everyday at something.  If you don't, come sit next to me for a while, I'll make you laugh.  Thinking though.  This is probably the hardest for some people. 

I'm on a tangent.  Back to the topic at hand.  Memories are what shape us.  It's a personal history of our lives.  Without memories, we would make the same mistakes over and over.  And that's just pointless.  Without memory, we wouldn' learn from our mistakes and that's futile.  People that don't learn from their mistakes are destine to live lonely, miserable lives.  I've been on the edge of that madness and I thank God everyday that I came out of it, and saw my way through to something better (with lots of help from friends and loved ones).

So, coming into Christmas, lets take a moment to connect with our childhood in one way or another.  Watch "It's a Charlie Brown Christmas".  Channel your inner Peppermint Patty or Linus (always thought I was a Linus).  Let your heart fill with the joy of Christmas.  Let it bring you to tears.  Yes, Christmas is mostly for the children, but there is no law that says, as adults, that we can't feel the spirit move through us.  Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.  He lives inside each of us. Helping us with memories:  new and old.