Weekly Writing Challenge; DPCHALLENGE
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#DP Challenge
This week, weave a story about yourself told…
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Weekly Writing Challenge; DPCHALLENGE
http://jackiespeaksit2014.wordpress.com
#DP Challenge
This week, weave a story about yourself told through the lens of your past December 23rds.
When I think back to past Christmas years on the 23, I get mixed memories. Smiles, sadness can appear and then fade a way as I go year to year.
Christmas as a kid was always the same. Wonderful, magical, excitement! Those were the days.
Christmas as a married adult meant working over-time, need of more money, lots of presents under the tree for our children. Giggles and screams of delight as wanted gifts were opened.
A divorce and remarriage on the rebound means sadness to me. A husband who made life hard to exist. Him hiding when people came to our house. Embarrassment, replaced delight of seeing people. Wanting to get the day over with. No money, very few gifts. It was always a sad time for me and an angry time as well. I saved my little bit of money I earned each week and finally was freed from this relationship.
The loss of parents that you love leaves the biggest gap in your heart. Christmas joy is ripped a way. Tears and sorrow replace all other feelings. Robotic movements kick in as you try so hard to carry on in a normal way that Christmas is supposed to be. Always glad when it is over, but sad when my kids leave to go back to their homes.
Christmas this year I dreaded with all that I have. Excitement over my kids being here. Sadness over wondering if Al would make it to the holiday. Thankful he was here, sad he slept through it. Not as many gifts but gifts that were wanted and enjoyed. Plenty of food and good conversation took the sting out of what was happening in my brother’s bedroom.
I am glad Christmas is over. My tree is down and the house looks more back to normal. Al is still here having bad days, and some better days mixed in. I treasured each moment with my entire family, knowing in my heart that there will never be a Christmas like this again.
Christmas will come once again. The 23rd will arrive without delay. People will come and some will never be seen again, but hopefully the future will open new doors. New memories and I will once again smile, remembering the pasts and looking forward to the future.
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Christmas Smiles
Christmas, just mouthing the word, hopefully brings a smile to your face.
Christmas
Snowy hills
Red cheeks
Runny noses
Lots of shrieks
Eating snowflakes
Angels made
Sledding down hill
Ice-skate blades.
Warm hot chocolate
Christmas tree
Glittering lights
For all to see.
Christmas vacation
Means no school
Sleeping late
Breaking all the rules.
Pitter patter on the roof
Waiting for the fat man
Can’t sleep I’m so excited
Open gifts, oh come on la la land.
Christmas morning
Jumping out of bed
Getting mommy and daddy
Up and running a head.
Oh my stars look at all those gifts
Sliding on slippers I fall to my knees
Squeals of delight as I open each one
Begging my mamma to open hers from me.
Memories of Christmas for me as a child
Brings wide-eyed eyes and beautiful smiles
And now I am standing here at the door
Greeting my family who will stay for a while.
Written by,
Terry Shepherd
12.17.2013
Can You See Me Dancing?
Every time I hear this song, no matter what I am doing or what kind of mood I am in, I get happy. I just want to dance and get happy. Do you have a song that does this to you?
Now this song…
Can You See Me Dancing?
Every time I hear this song, no matter what I am doing or what kind of mood I am in, I get happy. I just want to dance and get happy. Do you have a song that does this to you?
Now this song is my ultimate favorite Christmas song. When I used to buy CD’s at Christmas time I would not even budge buying unless it had this song on it.
What Christmas songs do you enjoy?
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Christmas Cards
Alastair gave me an idea. He wants Al‘s address so he can send a Christmas card to him.
Isn’t that…
Christmas Cards
Alastair gave me an idea. He wants Al‘s address so he can send a Christmas card to him.
Isn’t that a great idea? I remember I did this for his birthday, but why not Christmas too?
If anyone would like to wish my brother a Merry Christmas, please email me at
tellmenolies2004@yahoo.com
for his address.
Thanks everyone. Don’t feel obligated, I know stamps are expensive and time is valuable.
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Peace On Earth
Will you give thanks on Thanksgiving? Do you give thanks any other day of the year? What about Chri…
Peace On Earth
Will you give thanks on Thanksgiving? Do you give thanks any other day of the year? What about Christmas? Is your spirit heightened? Do you lose it after the holiday when the tree comes down and reality is back with us once again?
I find it sadly amazing and yet I am smiling when I see the great kindness that is shared between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The elderly are suddenly thought of and a visit is made. A gift of home-made cookies or a beautiful card.
Shut-ins have more visitors in this time frame than an entire year put together. Friends contacting friends. Families who haven’t spoken suddenly appear and we are amazed at the changes we see.
So many programs are burst open and children who may never see a complete meal now have an opportunity to go to bed at night with a full tummy. The people living in boxes under the bridge are offered a warm room and a hot meal.
There are so many programs that are in full force that no child has to get up Christmas morning without one gift to open. Monies being collected to help put a coat on a shivering body, gloves on their hands.
Food shelters take in more food at this time of year than any other. We look at life different at the holidays than any other time. Those that participate get more joy from the gifts they give than receiving anything else.
Than you wander into the midst of the stores during the hype of the season and that calm demeanor is stripped from us but only temporarily. Finding gifts that are in the right price range that look like they are worthy of spending our hard-earned money is a challenge in itself.
I am always amazed at the prices that slowly start to rise and then go through the roof once the time comes for holiday lay-a-ways. It darn near makes it impossible to go shopping and keep that healthy smile on our face.
Shoving adults, kids running through the stores. Finding assistance through store employees is scarce. Christmas music bellowing in our ears trying to make us spend more money than we have. Easy open charge cards guaranteed to charge no interest until 90 days after the holidays.
I used to go to Black Friday but the madhouse took the fun out of it. It is like roller derby skaters without wheels. I have never seen adults act more like greedy children than on Black Friday.
Now I can’t sit here and say that if you want some fantastic U-tube videos or free entertainment, and, you don’t have anything special to purchase; going to view these midnight shoppers can be quite fun.
For me, I would rather go to the regular sales. For this year I don’t know for sure how I am going to get any shopping done. Maybe online, maybe less expensive gifts. The chances of me getting to go to the big mall is pretty much out of the question.
For this year I have two goals. I would like to take Al out on a drive to see Christmas lights, but it will depend on his health and the weather. For two I hope that Christmas in our house brings nothing less than good memories to think about in the cold days of January.
My prayer is that we take a few of those dollars and help keep the food pantries filled. We make the effort to smile at least five times per day, each day to strangers and friends. We buy one extra can of food and drop it in the food box. We stop in for a moment of a loved neighbor or make a call to a family member other than at holiday time.
That we try hard to take those clothes we don’t like anymore or have grown out of and put them in a Goodwill box, instead of the trash.
How much better would our world be if we kept a little bit of the holiday spirit all year-long? Think about it.
Who I am 