We sit laughing around the huge mound of presents under the tree in the big living at my parent’s home on High Street in Philadelphia. The doorbell rings. In bounds the ones for whom we’re waiting, my sister Evelyn and her husband Ed and children from Virginia. . Here we all are, all of us together. My own husband, sons and I have flown in from Seattle, Washington to spend the holidays on the East Coast. Tons of presents together with squiggly grandchildren and aunts, uncles and grandparents make for a memorable scene. For me it’s a golden moment in time. All is right in the world.
Christmas tree lights twinkle. Someone takes up the task to start calling names. Will we ever get through all of these presents? As the presents are picked up for distribution they seem to uncover another dozen hiding underneath. Well, there are eight brothers and sisters who have produced 12 grandchildren at this point. Such delight from squealing boys and girls and agreeing oohs and aahs from parents aunts and uncles. It is a golden moment in time. Three complete generations in one room: Mothers, Fathers, grandfather, grandmother and grandchildren, aunts and uncles. Fragrant smells from a waiting feast fill the air. It is indeed a golden moment in time.
Today as I think, and reflect on this distant scene I realize now that my golden moment was not everyone’s golden moment, for indeed my parents must have missed their mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters. Yet now I see, this circle of life goes on. We have concentric circles. While one circle ripples and fades away another stone is splashed into the circle of life and begins its effects.
Yet my golden moment in time is one which I will treasure in my heart. At one time all I held dear was close at hand. My husband was close by my side. My children were at my knees. My parents were close at hand. All of my brothers and sisters were around to share in my various joys and sorrows.
Now my father, Melvin, mother Evelyn, my husband, Winston, my brother-in-law Ed, my two sisters, Joy and Claudette, and my brother Bucky lay beneath earth’s sod, frozen in my golden moment of time. My hair has turned the color of snow. It’s my grand-children who give me their welcome hugs. My daughter-in-law helps to cook the meals. My sons ask me how I’m doing and if I need anything. My remaining brother, sisters and I start to realize that our time together will not be always.
The golden moment of time when all that we hold dear and the spanning of generations is brief. I see the new golden moments forming for grand-children, nieces and nephews. I’ll treasure those times for until we gather round the Heavenly Father’s throne our golden moments will fade for us and surely start anew for the next generation.
Christmas tree lights twinkle. Someone takes up the task to start calling names. Will we ever get through all of these presents? As the presents are picked up for distribution they seem to uncover another dozen hiding underneath. Well, there are eight brothers and sisters who have produced 12 grandchildren at this point. Such delight from squealing boys and girls and agreeing oohs and aahs from parents aunts and uncles. It is a golden moment in time. Three complete generations in one room: Mothers, Fathers, grandfather, grandmother and grandchildren, aunts and uncles. Fragrant smells from a waiting feast fill the air. It is indeed a golden moment in time.
Today as I think, and reflect on this distant scene I realize now that my golden moment was not everyone’s golden moment, for indeed my parents must have missed their mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters. Yet now I see, this circle of life goes on. We have concentric circles. While one circle ripples and fades away another stone is splashed into the circle of life and begins its effects.
Yet my golden moment in time is one which I will treasure in my heart. At one time all I held dear was close at hand. My husband was close by my side. My children were at my knees. My parents were close at hand. All of my brothers and sisters were around to share in my various joys and sorrows.
Now my father, Melvin, mother Evelyn, my husband, Winston, my brother-in-law Ed, my two sisters, Joy and Claudette, and my brother Bucky lay beneath earth’s sod, frozen in my golden moment of time. My hair has turned the color of snow. It’s my grand-children who give me their welcome hugs. My daughter-in-law helps to cook the meals. My sons ask me how I’m doing and if I need anything. My remaining brother, sisters and I start to realize that our time together will not be always.
The golden moment of time when all that we hold dear and the spanning of generations is brief. I see the new golden moments forming for grand-children, nieces and nephews. I’ll treasure those times for until we gather round the Heavenly Father’s throne our golden moments will fade for us and surely start anew for the next generation.
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