Gifts from the Soul

What do you buy someone who has everything? You do something personal for them, something from the heart that has meaning. Now, I’m not trying to say I have everything, but well, really, I do. Other than the fact that I seriously could use $400,000 to set things straight financially, I live a comfortable life. So what did my mom get me for Christmas? She got clever. For Christmas she had an older piece of furniture sanded and refinished. This piece of furniture was a magazine rack that had its origins in NJ. It was a wedding gift to my grandmother Pat in 1937. It was given to her by her aunt Marty who was the wife of my grandmother’s uncle, John Cunningham. The rack lived at my grandfather’s house until his death in 1986 when it moved to my parents’ house. Oddly at that time, we lived in the trailer still and I have no memory of where this poor rack rested until it was moved to the house in 1987. In the house it lived in the living room (TV room) and held a collection of VHS tapes! What a lonely and disrespected life! Mom was inspired to give me something that would not only surprise me, but have love and a family story behind it.

So a few months ago she found someone who specialized in refurnishing and had her restored to her former glory. She’s a delight who fits right in with my 1931 house! At the moment she is wearing several of my favorite books and my collection of Supernatural DVD’s. I think that I shall use her to display either themes or favorites (or both)!

Christmas time this year was really special. I went to Mom’s at the 24th and stayed until the 27th. We watched movies and Supernatural, and mostly we talked a lot, about a lot of things. Some things, even were from the depths of my soul. We both cried over the movie: Spitfire Grill. After, Mom said she wanted to roll in the snow the pain was so great. That was Christmas day. But mostly the day was peaceful, and I even felt my father was near. I kept seeing black flashes or shadows. At one point when I looked at the loveseat I saw my father lying there. I did share this with mom and neither of us was freaked out by it. Strangely, this did not happen again after that one day. Now I don’t think my father is a ghost because that means his soul is not at rest or can’t let go. I do think perhaps at times people who have passed are allowed to get a little closer to our realm so that we can kind of sense them nearby. Anyway you think of it, we did have a lovely time and we stayed peppy and not melancholic.

Now I am looking forward to New Year’s, which oddly is my favorite holiday! I love the idea of rebirth. And isn’t that the gift from the soul? Just as the newly varnished magazine rack reminds me of relatives from the past who gave from their hearts; even a little piece of furniture can be reborn with love.