Changing Holidays

So through the journey of finishing off yet another semester as well as making sure that the needs of my mother are being met, I have come to realize that I face more losses of childhood memories, but perhaps it can be regained with making new memories. With trying efforts of getting my mother from California to Florida by September, and then by October, I came to see that my hopes should be left to getting her here by Thanksgiving. Now, Thanksgiving for my mother and I differ from year to year with one exception, we are always together: just the two of us.  Probably my most favorite Thanksgiving was when we stayed up all night and cooked, went to bed and woke up and began our day by eating our food.  However, as I began my first year at college, playing basketball, I was in fact denied access to go home because of tournaments or games, something that does not make too many parents happy.  So I have spent the last two Thanksgivings with wonderful friends with whom mom and I will continue to spend with them.  Although, things might never be the same, just having my mom here will make all the difference in the world.

            The other memory of course is what follows: Christmas. Christmas was not a very traditional holiday in our home.  Of course to me, it was one of my favorite times to share with my mom.  We never had a big tree (too messy) so we had this mini tree that sat in a bag and played music.  We put presents around it and left stuff out for Santa and I remember going to bed on Christmas Eve thinking that Santa would never come because we did not have a big grand tree or stockings or a fireplace; but he did.  When I was a junior in high school, mom decided that the tree was too small, so, we bought a light up reindeer and that became our tree. So now of course, I have to settle with making new memories of how to spend the holidays with mom, which should not be too hard, we always know how to have a good time.

            I think it just goes to show that no matter what happens in life, one must take it in stride and either improve or change it.  In our case, I think we are doing both and it will be for the better.