Christmas then, Christmas now. From our earliest memories of Christmases past spent with siblings, to where we are all today, Christmas is surely to bring with it the many emotions that are within all of us. “He knows when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sakes!” [1934, Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots], must be in the back of everyone’s mind because kindness & patience are in the air at Christmastime.
                     My earliest memory was playing in my room alongside of my brother as we had awoken to find big stuffed stockings on our beds. It seemed we played for hours. I recall my brother had a tin y metal carrier truck with tiny metal cars that fit onto it. Even then, I do not remember what I had except maybe one of those little vinyl purses with a clear front, printed back and a mirror and comb under a snapped opening. I can still smell that new fresh vinyl smell of Christmas morning. Some of my earliest memories were coming down the stairs and seeing sleds for us, which were standing up against the wall, unwrapped… and another year, seeing 3 rocking chairs with our names hand-lettered onto the backs. Our littlest sister didn’t have a rocking chair because that was probably the year she was born just before Christmas in November. How Santa knew all our names and how to spell them was amazing to me. One year we listened to the radio with updates of Santa flying over Maine. We were all sitting around the table with our father. He then told us to look out the window because there was a bright red light in the sky. It was Rudolph’s nose!! Actually, only later did I find out it was the light on one of those radio towers. Then there was the year we got up very early, all four of us. It was about 430AM when the phone rang. It our cousin across the street who told me to get ourselves back to bed because our parents had just gone to bed. I told my siblings that all we had to do was close the shades so our cousin couldn’t see us. The memories are still there 45 years later. I had a wonderful childhood, full of warm memories with my siblings and the life our parents gave to us. Those memories form our Christmas from year to year as we keep adding new memories and traditions.
                     Over the years we have all had losses, and we must carry forward to make the best of what we have. When we lost grandparents, two cousins, and other people who were important to us, finding meaning during the Christmas season sometimes was not easy. Over the years, I have tried to stay in touch with many parents who have kids with Muscular Dystrophy. We can help each other with our knowledge and be supportive and will do whatever we can to help each other. Some have lost their sons and we must keep them close to our hearts. They have a lot to share with the rest of us. Today the community is closer and quicker to get responses because of social network sites like Face book. I was recently looking for information on how to reach a famed muscular dystrophy doctor in New Jersey. Within 5 minutes I had his contact info, including email addresses as parents from all over the world responded to my request. I see this as a valuable tool to give the best care to our children and our adult children. My need to be a part of this social network site is more important than my need to opt out of it, as I did previously. If adding pictures which show why we need a new piece of equipment for a wheelchair helps others in their quest to also get equipment aiding in their child’s independence, then the site is extremely worthwhile. Lastly, parents who have lost their children also need to be able to share their information with the rest of us. It is a win- win situation, but sometimes also bittersweet. Thank goodness for my DMD family. You are always there for me. The social network sites generally bring about a kind of support for each other because we are generally interested in how others are doing.
                     Each Christmas, I think of those who are no longer here and I know in my heart, they would want us to find love and peace each holiday season. They are never forgotten because they have been a large part of our lives and our Christmases past. There are always others we need to focus on throughout the year who may need us, whether it is a neighbor, someone in a nursing home, a parent, a friend, or a Christmas Family for whom the office may be purchasing presents. Christmas is a wonderful time to remind us to think of others throughout the year because we need to think beyond ourselves and our own problems. With this written, I must agree that there really is a Santa Claus. May God bless you all in the New Year. We are all thankful you are part of our lives.