Another Ending

Happy New Year!  Another year has ended and we are now down to two months until our move to Paris becomes our reality.

Earlier I wrote how I felt a little sadness as we decorated for Christmas this year...perhaps more nostalgia than sadness.  When we decided to take down those decorations, we also decided to leave our two big trees up a little longer than usual.  We enjoyed looking at them and, we knew, we wouldn't just be putting all those ornaments in their special place but would be deciding which were going with us to Paris, which would be stored for our return (whenever that is) and which would be given away.

I expected this task to be difficult...which ornaments were really "close to my heart" and pieces of my life (and the lives of our children) that I didn't want to part with...long-term or short-term?  The truth is it was fairly easy.  I discovered most of the ornaments weren't important to me at all.  Few were really "close to my heart" (a couple from my own childhood, some photo ornaments of grandsons and special moments, or some from special places).  Many were simply ornaments I liked...small icons that represented parts of me--a high-heeled shoe, a bottle of nail polish, a Starbucks cup.  I know, trivial little things but ornaments someone saw and thought of me.  I like that!

So the trees are empty and have even already been given away to families who will, I hope, enjoy them the way we did.  A small handful of ornaments goes with us....and I feel no sadness.  I feel great gratitude for the all the Christmas memories I have stored in my heart and I look forward to making new Christmas memories in Paris-maybe even adding a few new ornaments to the "close to my heart" box that will return to Texas later!