The I-Believe-in-You Ornament

ornament

I Believe in You

Without knowing how, decorating the tree  became a chore done silently and swiftly this year.  Dripping glass icicles were placed so they wouldn’t be broken but I didn’t marvel over their delicate artistry.  Handmade cookie ornaments made when my oldest two were small got a swift smile but no real lingering. But one red box with a bone latch stopped me in my rush.

With tired hands, I pushed the small carved latch aside and opened the beautifully crafted box.  Inside, was a milky glass ball painted with fuchsias and hummingbirds, the hot pinks and lavenders decorating it clashed with the red container and were more reminiscent of spring than of the Christmas season.  Yet,  this one treasure filled my heart with the smell of freshly cut fir and my eyes with the dazzle of sparkling lights.  After placing it on the tree, I slow down and savor the memories brought on by the rest of the ornaments.

Once long ago when both my husband and I were living in Oakland and attending college and my oldest son was a toddler, I found myself one fall semester with 10 papers due in 21 days. I wasn’t too troubled.  I began writing them as early as the course load allowed.  But by late November, I still had two due in five days and I was drained.  Desperate, I went to one teacher and asked if it were possible to put off her paper.  I’d never done this before but had seen many other students manage to get extensions and assumed that it would be fairly easy…I was turned down.  Crushed and exhausted, I returned to the apartment sure I wouldn’t be able to drag another 20 pages from my brain over the weekend.  I struggled for 2 more days barely eeking out drivel enough for 1 paper.

Then the landlord called and asked if we could please put down rugs because our little guy’s pounding down wooden floors was disturbing the upstairs neighbor. I collapsed in tears.  I was a bad mother, a bad neighbor, a failure of a student.  And, how could we afford rugs?  My husband tried to comfort me then, abandoning his own studies, gathered my son and left me alone for some much needed quiet.  The silence did help but I hadn’t gotten too much farther scribbling down ideas on yellow legal pads when my guys returned 4 hours later.  Trotting across the floor on chubby legs to the bed (we couldn’t afford a computer) where I sat surrounded by piles of papers and books, my son handed me the box–the red box with the white bone latch.  “For you, wuv you,” he said, sure he could make me smile. I opened it and slid the fragile, delicate globe into my hands. Looking up across the curls of my chubby little guy to the face of my husband I saw rather than heard the words, “I love you.  You can do this.  I believe in you.”

The rest of the weekend found the first paper revised and the second done (not in plenty of time.  I finished typing it five minutes after class started) but in enough time.

This year I’m going to put the red box on top so when I open the decorations, I find it first to remind me to slow down, to remember that I am loved and my life is full of joy and blessings.

The gift of We-Believe-in-You is one of the best I’ve ever received.

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23 Comments
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Kim
Guest
Kim
15 years ago

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, Kym. Every picture has a 1K words they say. May your Christmas Day be bright and full of love, hope and fun.
Thanks for sharing your art with me.

kristabel
Guest
15 years ago

Sometimes that’s all we need to make it through. Thank you for this, Kym. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

forkboy
Guest
15 years ago

A wonderful story Kym. One of those special moments that helps to make the rest of the insanity, which often passes for our lives, so much easier with which to deal.

sohumborn
Guest
sohumborn
15 years ago

Awww Kym, Thanks for sharing. This made my eyes well up.

Elaine
Guest
15 years ago

Thanks for the story, Kym. Christmas memories and traditions are constantly in the making, aren’t they?

May you all be safe and warm this year.

Sandi
Guest
15 years ago

Wow, what a neat way to slow things down and really savor the Christmas spirit. That’s an awesome memory your family has created. Merry Christmas!

nursemyra
Guest
15 years ago

beautiful story. merry christmas to you and your family xx

Toni
Guest
15 years ago

That was a beautiful story – made me tear up. It is very important to slow down and appreciate the gifts that we have – and I’m not talking about the presents under the tree. 🙂

Merry Christmas, Kym!

Rose
Guest
15 years ago

Merry Christmas, Kym. You make us all believe.

silverstar98121
Guest
15 years ago

Cool ornament, and cool story. I love hummingbirds and fuschias. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

Kitty
Guest
15 years ago

Merry Christmas Kym. I like that idea of putting the red box on top for next year.

Lovely ornament, did you paint that?

Sophie Lagacé
Guest
15 years ago

Very sweet story, it made me smile and mist up at the same time. Have a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones.

Ernie's Place (Branscomb)
Guest

Well Kym, It’s hard not to believe in a person like you. You are a person with amazing talents.

Nice story.

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Thank you and I hope all your Christmas days were Merry!

S.C.
Guest
S.C.
15 years ago

Thanks for the beautiful story. There’s always enough time to do what we NEED to do. Merry Christmas.

beachcomber
Guest
15 years ago

I’m glad your tree makes you smile as well as shed a tear every year. It’s the part of Christmas that always feels right.

Kato
Guest
Kato
15 years ago

One of the greatest gifts you can receive is the confidence and encouragement of someone close to you when you are full of doubt and despair. That’s more valuable and long-lasting than anything you can put under (or on!) the tree…

Jen
Guest
Jen
15 years ago

What a great story. I love it. It’s beautiful.

steve
Guest
15 years ago

Great story Kym! I’ve got your calendar for you if you want to email me your address at [email protected]

Steve

Chris
Guest
15 years ago

Great story, Kym. I hope you had a merry Christmas. I just returned from So Cal and we had a very nice time. All my best to you and your family for a happy new year.

Elizabeth
Guest
Elizabeth
15 years ago

What a sweet story. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas.

Sande Kemp
Guest
Sande Kemp
15 years ago

Cousin Kym,

I just want you to know that I visit your page very often. Your ability to tell stories is amazing and the detail is incredible. I have found on so many occasions that memories of my summers in Miranda are brought to the forefront not only with words but somehow you recreate the smells and images of what means so very much to me. In this story I was brought back to when my girls were young and just how much we struggled to get where we are today. Those things at the time are special but even more significant when we are able reflect and remember to slow down and enjoy what we have now. May you have a blessed New Year and please pass on hugs to your Mom and Dad. Hugs to you…

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Thanks everyone!

And Sande, I love knowing you read me and I bring back memories of being up here. Hugs to you and yours, too.