memories

When I thought I was grown up, I still harboured resentments towards my parents. They hadn't done it right and I suffered because of it. They had too many children and not enough time to love them. They had to work too hard to provide for us and didn't spend "quality time" with us. Then I had children of my own and realized that there is no "right". There is never enough time or money and it is the biggest job in the world to continue to care and still find a few minutes to care for yourself. Today, I thought of my parents as we gathered as a family without them and thought of the gifts they have given us. The gift of work for others sakes, the gift of joy for children, the gifts of perseverance, generosity, kindness and hope. The gift of each other, so we would never run out of people to love and support us. The gift of knowing that there are many, many others with much less than we have. The gift of creativity to know that if we don't have it, we can figure out something that will work instead. The gift of boundless love and a belief in something "bigger" than us. The gift of struggling to overcome difficulty and the gift of knowing that it is a priviledge that not everyone gets. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad, and thank you! elly "You're not everybody either." Frits Rooyakkers