Mike pointed out that fact when I called him from my Aunt Susie and Uncle Howie's house to update him on my progress on the annual Christmas shopping trip with my mom and her sisters in my Aunt Susie's town of Strongsville, Ohio.
I'm guessing this tradition started about 25 years ago as a way to help my NaNa shop for the kids, grandkids and eventually the great grands. Since NaNa passed away three years ago, my PaPa goes instead. Anyone who has graduated from high school or who is not walking yet is welcome to come.
We figured the most number of people who've ever been on the trip is 11. That must have been NaNa; my mom; aunts Connie, Susie, Bonni; me, my sisters Angie & Shelley; and my cousins Teresa and Tina. I'm still one short, but I'm not sure who I'm missing. Anyway, this year was a pretty small group. Aunt Susie, Uncle Howie, PaPa, my mom and I. (I should note that Howie is always there, but he tries to avoid most of the shopping part). My Aunt Connie is undergoing chemo and didn't feel up to the trip and Aunt Bonni couldn't get the time off work.
When I heard that the group was going to be so small this year, I gave some thought to not going. I wasn't planning to buy that much anyway. Up until about an hour or so before I was supposed to leave, I was still debating whether or not to go. I'm so glad I did.
I drove to my folks' house in Dayton, Ohio on Wednesday night. I stayed up too late talking to my mom, as usual. Then in the morning, she and I headed to pick up PaPa. When we arrived at his house around 9am, he was waiting -- with Schuler's chocolate bismarck donuts! This is definitely part of the tradition.
In the first five minutes at PaPa's house, I was so happy that I decided to come on the trip. I felt overwhelmingly grateful to be there with my 86-year-old grandfather who is the sweetest person I know. I got teary just feeling my heart swell up with love for him, though some of those tears were also for how much being with PaPa made me miss my NaNa.
The time away also gave me a chance to spend time with my mom, which I don't get to do often enough, and my Aunt Susie and Uncle Howie. They came to Indianapolis for my 40th birthday party in August, but with so many people there I didn't have much time to spend visiting with them.
So yes, I did drive more than 600 miles (roundtrip) to go to stores I could have reached in about 5 minutes. But this trip was not just about buying Christmas presents. It was really about savoring Christmas presence.
Who would you like to give some Christmas presence to? Can you make that happen?
The time away also gave me a chance to spend time with my mom, which I don't get to do often enough, and my Aunt Susie and Uncle Howie. They came to Indianapolis for my 40th birthday party in August, but with so many people there I didn't have much time to spend visiting with them.
So yes, I did drive more than 600 miles (roundtrip) to go to stores I could have reached in about 5 minutes. But this trip was not just about buying Christmas presents. It was really about savoring Christmas presence.
Who would you like to give some Christmas presence to? Can you make that happen?
