Sentimental Christmas Things

I broke this Christmas decoration tonight.

It's hard to believe how quickly it happened.

I brushed my hand against it, and watched in slow motion as it fell over.

I hoped it would just bounce against the counter, but it shattered instead.

As I cleaned it up, a wave of emotions passed over me.  I cried a little.

You see, that little vase has been in our family for four Christmases.

It has sat by three different kitchen sinks.  

The colorful, twinkling lights have brightened each of those rooms.

Four years ago, a friend gave it to our family as a Christmas gift.

Michael was finishing his last year of clinical rotations.

We were renting a home from a family in our ward while they were serving a mission.

At the time, Michael was serving as the ward mission leader.

It was a heavy calling for a young student.

But, it was accompanied by great blessings and incredible spiritual experiences.

We fondly look back at that time in our lives.

We remember the amazing love we felt for those we served, and those we served with.

This vase was given to us by a sweet, single mother.

She joined the church while Michael was serving in that calling.

She had a burning testimony of the gospel and had overcome many obstacles.

She and her daughter were examples to each other, and to the members of our ward.

They desired to become like Christ.

They didn't have much, but they wanted to give us a gift for Christmas.

So, they made us that decoration.

While cleaning up the broken pieces, the thought occurred that I could just replace the vase.

It would be easy enough to find something similar.

But, it just wouldn't be the same.  It had become a Christmas staple for our family.

We had a sentimental attachment to that vase.

One (of many) great lessons I have learned from my dear husband is to be more sentimental.

It hasn't been an easy journey for me.

I haven't always valued personal treasures for what they were, and who they were from.

Maybe it comes with time too.  As I grow older, I become more sentimental.

I am learning to value those things that are given to me out of love.  

Things to remind me of a person, a place, a time or a memory.

I am learning to hang on to those precious heirlooms that can be passed on to our children.

Those are things that make Christmas so special.