Saturday, December 20, 2025

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2002. Mattie was 8 months old and naturally it was a very exciting time for us, as this was our first Christmas with Mattie. That year, we experienced a snow fall on the first Saturday in December. It was another first for Mattie.... seeing the white stuff. I figured with the snow on our deck and Mattie in his Santa suit, it would make for the perfect photo to be featured on our family holiday card. We must have snapped 30 photos that day, but this was the photo I chose for the card! I absolutely LOVED Mattie's smile here and the fact that his hands were in motion (a tell tale Mattie sign!). 

Quote of the day: Cherish those people who have the ability to touch you and still be thousands of miles from your presence. ~ Rachel Wolchin

This morning, I woke up with this photo collage in my email in-box. I knew immediately what and where this was.... Burbank, CA. My parents used to live in this neighborhood, and in fact, I went to high school in California, so this neighborhood is part of my past. When I would visit LA at Christmas time, my mom and I always used to go for walks and I would snap photos of all the amazing houses and decorations! Truly my life looked so so different just a few short years ago. Then I was happily married, saw that I had a future (yes without Mattie, which was hard enough, but somehow we found a way forward together), and could appreciate the beauty of decorations and ornaments (though I did not have any of my own up and on display) around me. 

Today was day three of my Dad having a physical therapy session. So that is three days in a row. After today's hour long session, this therapist also agreed..... my dad is safe enough to walk in public and doesn't need to be transported around in a wheelchair. My dad has proven that he can walk several minutes safely without needing a break and all three therapists feel his balance is good. That said, the wheelchair remains in my trunk just in case, but not having to lug that thing around and maneuver my dad in it is a BLESSING. Truly I count my blessings! I am grateful that I had the wherewithal to remove my dad from the hospital and with my supervision, I have been able to stabilize him. That is this year's Christmas miracle!

Later this afternoon, I took my parents out for lunch. This is our first meal out (not including going out for frozen yogurt) since my dad's hospitalization. We go to our local diner every Saturday. We know the manager and practically everyone who works in there. Today we even met the owner, who lives in New York but was in town visiting. While being out today, I noticed something..... 

I was able to appreciate all the decorations around me and loved hearing the Christmas music. It isn't the new stuff, but the Rat Pack genre. I can't hear Frank Sinatra, without thinking about my marriage. My grandmother was not a Sinatra fan, so I did not grow up appreciating him, until I got married. Once I heard Sinatra sing, watched him dance, and act, I was hooked! Which is why, my wedding song is.... The Way you Look Tonight. 

But here's the cute story about all these decorations. Two weeks ago, the diner was not decorated. I was talking to the manager, who is a charmer. She has a degree in interior design and she was telling me about some of her ideas she wanted to incorporate into the diner. One of them was stringing ornaments from the ceiling. Do you see them? The photo doesn't do it justice, but sitting under these ornaments was magical! 

The manager also has a live tree for all her guests to see and appreciate. I loved seeing this beautiful tree, as our trees used to look just like this! I called the manager over twice to comment to her on all the decorating she did! It is so tasteful, festive, and elegant! But what it also achieved for me at least, was feeling like I was transported inside a Hallmark movie! Which if you know me, is a MAJOR compliment. If someone said I could spend 24 hours on a Hallmark set, removed from my daily grind and pain, I would sign up tomorrow. 

Any case, when I see someone go above and beyond, someone who actively works to bring joy and happiness to others..... I call it out! Which is why I gave the manager feedback! She is a busy professional, so it would have been understandable if she did minimal decorations. But instead she put her heart into the space and it shows! But it doesn't just show, it creates a warm, inviting, and festive atmosphere for anyone dining in this space. Just like the manager gave us all this visual gift, she felt that my words of thanks were a major gift to her. This is the beauty of connecting with people..... this has always been a more significant gift to me than anything I could possible get from under a Christmas tree! I have always loved talking and connecting with people, and I have to remind myself that my divorce is not about me, and therefore, I can't let it define me, my character, or what I hold dear.