Category: Writings

In the past you may remember the stories of "BLUE". These stories were reflective of my own life. I wrote truth in these stories. My truth. My life. Follow along as I try to bring more to you all from my life, especially growing up in a home that was anywhere from normal. I want to give others a voice. I want to share my experiences, not to lay blame but to lay claim to my life. The events that happened in my own childhood home, has greatly shaped my life today. I hope in sharing my experience that I may empower those reading , those who need to seek help, those that need to believe that life can change for them in a good way again. We are not our past. We do not have to live there anymore. There is hope, there is power within ourselves.

As far back as I can remember is where I will start this journey for you, into my life. I remember being around four. It was a Christmas holiday. I have seen pictures of it. I had a baby blue dress on with red and white cowboy boots. These boots were made from vinyl and they laced up the whole front. I was fascinated with the whole “being a cowboy era”. It was a time when no one looked at gun shooting and riding in a pose as bad things. That Christmas I received a red cowgirl hat. It was made from soft material and had a string that could be tightened to keep it on your head. It matched perfectly with my cowboy boots. I also received a set of play guns with their holsters. They were attached to a belt. I wore this proudly. Everything matched so well.

I remember the tinsel tree we had. The way the tinseled limbs would make a noise as you touched them. I loved the way the Christmas tree lights would reflect onto each facet of the tinseled limbs. For a kid such as myself, this was magical. I loved everything about our tinsel tree. I loved how the sparkles would illuminate our ceiling and other things in the vicinity of our tree. I do not know where the tree came from but I can about guarantee that if it was bought it was bought from Sears Roebuck and Company. Everything back in those early years came from Sear. It was a local department store that also shipped to places. Very convenient and popular when I was a child.

Christmas was almost predictable. You could guarantee that in my stocking that was hung somewhere, there would be nuts, oranges, apples, and a pack or two of chewing gum. Perhaps a peppermint stick or two. It would slowly change up some as I aged. Later including things like nail polish, fingernail clippers, lipgloss, tooth-brush, hair-brush, chewing gum, “Life Savers” candies, and so forth. I just knew that nuts would be forever in my stocking and they actually were each and every Christmas. Funny how you can remember details like that when you get older. Yet, sometimes you can not remember day-to-day things. I remember my own Christmases as decent and memorable.

I was asked what I really wanted for Christmas each year. More times than not I got the one thing I really wanted, That was nice. I would spend countless hours looking in the Sears catalog. It was a great thing. There was everything from clothes, to appliances, to toys, and so much more. The Sears company would come out with a great “big” book each ear around Christmas time. It was called”Wish Book” if I remember correctly. It was the “mac daddy” of all their catalogs. So much to look through, so much to see, and reasonable prices. Everybody who was anybody bought stuff from this catalog. Especially around Christmas. Because they shipped items, it was the best for sending Christmas gifts, special occasion gifts, and all. Their local stores had appliances that everyone shopped for. Later in the years, they would eventually be in every mall, and every city around. Seriously, they were the STORE.

Lots of good Christmas memories, I have. I never was disappointed. I thank my mom for most of those memories. Christmas was always about Christ’s birth but always about getting that one big wish you wanted to receive, and for the memories I have, I did. As an adult that has had three kids and four grandkids, I continue the tradition of the stockings and that one big gift Except my stockings don’t have nuts or chewing gum. Ha ha. I tried that when my kids were younger and they really did not like or understand that I gave them nuts. LOL So I never repeated that. I do however continue to put needed and useful things and every little bit, a “toy” or something fun inside their stockings. They may be in their twenties but the joy of Christmas needs to be there for them.