jenny

she's how it all started.

i had asked on facebook who was having a hard time with the
holiday season.

people started answering with stories that made you totally
understand how the holidays would be rough. there was such
loss, hardship and sadness.

holidays can be rough under fairly easy circumstances.
no one here was talking fairly easy stuff.
it was all heavy and hard.

she was one of the people who commented.
and one of the things she said was that she didn't have
the energy or desire to do the creative things she used to do.

without thinking, i just asked 'will you make me something for
christmas?' and offered to make her something back.

the idea was to spark her creativity again.
maybe to have someone who outright asked her to make
something.....maybe that would spark something inside her again.

i didn't think about it. i just asked.
then, i realized maybe a holiday swap for everyone would be a good
idea. maybe we all needed it. and maybe those having a hard time
might touch a little light if we did this.

and that's how the idea was born.

i had such fun watching the swap stuff going on.
people were posting when they got something, or asking about it,
or just plain ol' talking about it.

i thought that was the good i was getting out of it.

i had no idea the light i was about to touch.

on christmas morning when i opened the handmade goodies from this
woman who had started it all....
there was this kinda hush that went over my whole being.

i held the ornaments she had made. one by one i opened them.
they were gorgeous. and so beautifully made.

i was sitting next to my guy.
he reached over to see what i had.
'wow. she does nice work.' he commented.

i smiled.
yeah.
she really does.

but i didn't even care about that.
i cared about how she had held these and made these.
i cared about how she hadn't made stuff cause she wasn't feeling good,
and how she had put that aside and made these for me.
i cared about how she reached out.
i cared about the light i was holding.

it was an incredible moment for me.
and what's so cool is these are christmas ornaments.
i will hang  them every year on my tree.
every year i'll touch them and hold them, and hang them
and think of her.......

and i'll remember the light that we offer each other.

what could be a more beautiful christmas present?