The holidays are fast approaching and I am, as usual, completely unprepared. Our schedules seem to be busier than ever and there has simply been no time to begin preparations for Christmas. Last night between ferrying people to and from their activities, I decided to make a frantic stab at some Christmas shopping. A table of towels drew a crowd of women. We shopped by touch, unable to resist the textures and like toddlers, were compelled to touch each piece. Oohs and ahhs over thread count, softness and colors sparked a discussion of gift ideas which led to a chat about shopping in general, inspiration, jobs and finally mothers. I mentioned wanting a certain kind of gift for my mother and one of the ladies started to cry and said that her mother died three years ago and this is the first time she has felt like Christmas since. She talked about how her mother loved Christmas and always decorated the house so beautifully. Another woman said her mother died in 1980 but not a day goes by that she doesn’t think of her. We strangers hugged eachother over the towels and wished eachother merry Christmas in the most heartfelt of ways. We will probably never see eachother again but shared a moment and I guess that is one of the things that Christmas is about.
