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We Solve Long Term Care Problems

By Julie Arndt
GolderCare Solutions

Merry Christmas, Mom!

Over the course of the past couple of years, I have often made reference to my mom, who is a resident in a nursing home in Northern Iowa. During my visit last month on her 83rd birthday, I took her outside on a wheel chair ride through the streets of Dysart. We marveled on the beauty of the day and how lovely the trees were this season. During the course of this outing, she reminded me once again how she so wished I would have went into journalism in college rather than social work, my chosen career. I chuckled and told her she was  probably right, but I truly enjoy both writing and assisting others in dealing with life challenges (it’s been well over a couple decades since I graduated from college).

It is with the spirit of giving thanks that I write this month’s article.  I love Christmas.  I love the entire season, and it’s because of the love and magic that existed in my childhood home as we celebrated Christmas each year.  It’s a tradition that I’ve carried into my own home and am tickled when I see our nearly grown children itching to put up the trees early again this season. To this, I owe many thanks to my parents; and so, Mom, this year I will share with you some of the memories that you and Dad created for us kids.

The season started and ended with Mass. As a little person, I can’t say I too much appreciated all that church going, but through the tradition, we all were forever reminded of the true reason for the season. Our house was always decorated with a real tree that smelled heavenly of pine. Decorating the tree was so very exciting. David would take hours to check all the lights and get them right. I remember when I was four years old, I sat on the stairs and waited for Santa to come. I didn’t quite make it, but when I woke up, I found that Santa had brought a bunk bed for my dollies and a new doll, too. On the beds were pink hand sewn flannel blankets. It was so very exciting…all magic and wonder.

I remember the music and the baking. For weeks, we would laugh and dance in the kitchen as we prepared for Christmas.  It was a mess, but we had such fun!  It was so cold the windows would be frozen to the point we could barely see outside. You would make us go outside, and we would make tunnels in the frozen piles of snow.

The streets of our local town were decorated, and colorful lights were everywhere. Music was playing as we went from store to store. I so wanted to buy you something, but was too little to have money of my own. One store keeper, knowing this, let me purchase a very special gift for you, if you recall, I believe you picked up the tab a little later that evening.  Blessings of a small town!

I will never forget as a teen, Dad creating a scavenger gift hunt…outside in the dark.  That took some doing.  I recall not everyone was a good sport about it, but did Dad ever have fun! It was during these years that I recall you opening up our home to several folks who had nowhere else to celebrate Christmas Eve.  Am not sure Grandma always liked this, but you said she would get over it and she did.

During the holidays, Dad was like a little kid, you both were.  I know life wasn’t easy raising the six of us on the farm, but during Christmas, you both let go and let the worries of the world fall away.  As we got older we come to realize, Christmas isn’t about the gifts.  It’s about remembering the reason for the season, Him. It’s about the gift of giving, love, peace and hope.  It’s funny that you never actually told us that but you showed us in countless ways.

It is with many thanks that I write this, Mom. Merry Christmas!