Holiday Presence :: Day Seventeen

Oh Christmas Tree.
(last year's Christmas Rant)

And...

Oh Ornaments.

A wonderful friend from my past and I have reconnected this year somewhat as a side effect of my High School Reunion...she wasn't able to go because she lives quite a fair clip away, but we reunited nonetheless (thank you Internets) It's been so wonderful to catch up, as she was such a good friend.

We met in Junior High, when her family moved here from a more hep place. She was cute and stylish and totally fascinated me...Along with her fantastic sense of humor and depth she had fun clothes and wonderful accessories (this gal had the greatest living jewelry collection I'd ever seen...she was like meeting a part of me as well...we were both avid crazy collectors of wonderful things. I remember her family having boxes of, "...things that are going to be collectible someday" and from what I remember...they should be that now...I hope she kept them) We had a math class together and sat next to each other and found connection in the shared struggle (the teacher was very confusing and uninspired, to be fair...we both did well in math later)

After going to a school dance in the lunch room one Friday night, when the DJ put on a record (cause we're old school that way) she started to dance. Probably because that's what young teenagers were doing in other places in the United States...but Prescott's always been a little s l o w like that. I noticed that people kind of stopped and watched her and mumbled a lot under their breath...and I couldn't stand it. She was my friend forheavnesake...and I have a weird sense of fairness, coupled with the fact that I'd rather stand up for someone else than myself. And so, even though I was mortified...I walked right out there with her (and her brother, I think) and started dancing myself. I'd never actually danced in public before, and can't believe I pulled something out (although, we danced around at home a lot, and I took dance since I was 4...) And thanks to her...I learned this was one of my very favorite things to to ever. Since then, before I learned all that I have...it was the only way I ever felt good and safe in my body. I could be free and comfortable and have an amazing time...I didn't have to be drinking or taking any substances, I could just let go and move.

Well...I got a very festive package the other day, which reminded me of the notes we used to give each other at school. (We would actually go home at night and make the most festive notes with decorated envelopes that I've ever done...it was a hoot) I placed the blue penguin package under the tree and let her know that I received it and that I was going to wait to open it. She wrote back and said that I couldn't possibly wait because it was something for my tree. Thus the wonderful ornament above. A girl holding a kitty that says, "Love me, Love my cat" So true. This ornament came from a household full of pets...so she just gets that animals are family thing.

There was also a calendar in the package, which doesn't have anything to do with ornaments...but I happened to take Rozz to Hastings last night, and I was looking at calendars because I need one for the shop and Foolsewoode, and they were running a special. Well...I found one, but couldn't quite find the perfect one for the shop...and I was lamenting the fact that they didn't have "the great shoe one I saw last year..."

Well, she'd sent it in the package.
(she also reminded me that she knew I would like the gifts because she would have bought them for herself...and we could always buy for each other so easily...Oh yeah, there is that)

It's a Christmas miracle.

Thank you Gretchen.