Christmas for me is not only a current event as it occurs, but a trip through my memory, back to my days of youth and the days of yester years. It's not just about material gifts, but also about the imprint of heart gifts. Do we really cherish things, storing them in our minds and hearts, keeping them there for safe keeping until we need to visit them again? Sometimes we discover quite by accident or maybe by soul searching that our memory cache is indeed overflowing with experiences. These experiences, bits of our lives, become part of our legacies.
Today was Christmas Day, December 25,2015, this day was like no other Christmas, yet some traditions were the same.
It is a Robinette family tradition (my parents-Harry and Ethel Robinette started) to have a family breakfast and then gifts are shared. It's not the gifts shared, but the thoughts and time spent together that makes the event priceless. As far back as I can remember, my Christmas Days have begun with breakfast with my parents, then the gift exchange.
Over the years,the occupants in the chairs at the table have changed, but the tradition has endured.
Today the chairs were filled by my mom, my dad, my brother-Harry Jr., my uncle Andy who lives with my parents , and my daughter Sheila.
My oldest son, Robert Jr., had to work, his sharing of time with the family was done on Christmas Eve. This was the first time my oldest son had ever missed the breakfast.
My youngest son, Wesly,was also missing in action, but it was for a wonderful reason, he has his own family now and they currently live in Rexburg, Idaho. My daughter-in-law, Beth and my three grandkids; Robyn, Lily and Gavin are forming their own traditions.
The Christmas repast consisted of fried potatoes, sausage, scrambled eggs, fried apples and biscuits. I savored every bite of the delicious food.
Though it is winter in Virginia, today was in the 70's and very warm. The yards and some roadways were flooded after several days of heavy rainstorms. My son in Idaho was dealing with a big snowstorm, he is in a winter wonderland. It was strange to be almost hot on Christmas Day, I wore shorts to the family gathering.
At the gathering, I absorbed every word, every experience, every emotion and filed them all away in my heart. I will draw upon them as needed and remember this day. More Christmas Days will surely come, but none will be as this day, it is as unique as a snowflake. I will hear the whisper of the voices in my mind.
Though we all are different with our likes, dislikes, points of view and such, we are bound by an invisible cord that no amount of distance between us can break, a cord that stretches into infinity, we, are bound by a cord of love. We are, family.
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