A Christmas Story

The holidays are that time of year that we can all agree can be tough on those of us who have either struggled with the loss of loved ones or just trying to survive day by day. Between the pandemic, and prices from gas to groceries being more expensive it gets a little more stressful.

I have found myself in both situations through various stages in my life. From a young single mom raising a family four in Arroyo Seco to becoming my mother's fulltime caretaker until she passed on December 27, 2017. Social media like facebook will give me reminders of posts and comments of my mother that I love sharing again as she was such a great character to write about, and during that time, I built a bond with my mother that I am forever grateful to have had.

But with the sad memories, there are good memories that I don't need facebook to remind me of. These are the ones before social media or before the internet became a part of everyday life. Those are the ones you tuck in your heart, the memories that flood your eyes with tears when you tell it or at this very moment in time as I write it. I guess you can call it my Christmas Hallmark moment.

We lived out in Arroyo Seco, tucked in a canyon of 54 beautiful acres. Our little farm life was simple and probably one of the best choices I made in rasing my family. My two oldest children had already graduated from high school and had moved into town to be closer to jobs and city life. My oldest son did move back home a few times, he was my boomerang kid or AKA Cowboy Pokey Joe. He could turn a racehorse into a nag. But that's a whole different story.

My two youngest boys were still attending high school. After a radio station I worked for sold, I had just started a new job with our local community newspaper. So I was down to nickels and dimes before getting that job. When I would come home from work the boys would ask if we were going to the tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree like we did every year since moving out to the country. I knew that they would get lots of gifts to open for Christmas between my parents and their dad, but a Christmas tree, I didn't have the heart to tell them that I didn't have enough money to get one.

As I drove home from work I knew I would have to tell them that I didn't have the money that year for a tree but that 'm sure their dad would have one they could decorate when they went into town for their weekend with him. As I drove up our dirt driveway that led up to our house, I knew they would scramble and act like they were doing their chores that should have been done hours ago. As I pulled into the front of the house, both boys met me outside. Before I could get out of the truck, they told me to close my eyes. As they led me into the house, they covered my eyes so I couldn't peek.

As I tripped my way into the house, I could only wonder what surprise was waiting for me. There was no telling what the boys had. I've come home to baby rattlers in an aquarium to baby wild turkeys caught by hand; apparently, one of them is good at a belly crawl through thick brush with a turkey gobble they will fetch a flock.

They stood me in the middle of the living room and said at the count of three to open my eyes. At the count of three, I opened my eyes to the most beautiful majestic Charlie Brown Christmas tree that stood in the corner of our living room, all decorated with our box of homemade decorations and blinking lights. I sat down and cried. I had to explain that those tears were happy tears as they were both concerned because I was crying. They didn't mean for me to cry they said. I thnaked them and told theym why I had not bought a tree yet and they told me they understood and that's why they found the perfect tree for us.

The following morning I walked outside, I looked up at the big old pine tree by our house; its top had been cropped off. That tree was at least 18 feet high which means one climbed the tree, with shears in his back pocket, he told me, and the other made a tree stand out of old pallets. That tree, that Christmas, will always be the best Christmas for me.

Your struggles today become memories tomorrow, and it's a reminder of my blessings in life and how my two youngest boys took my struggle and showed me that we can still have the holiday spirit and a Christmas tree that only we could love.