OK. I’ll admit it, I’ve been missing in action when it comes to writing a post the last two weeks. But, I just haven’t felt I had much to say. Really??? Me? Not having much to say? My daughter’s think that never happens.
Maybe you could say I have been uninspired. Or maybe I’m just tired AND uninspired. So what does one do when they are “uninspired”. Of course. You clean your garage. That’s a GREAT place for inspiration. As I was sweeping the garage on one of the nice days we had last week, I noticed some sacks that one of my daughters had returned to me after using it a year or so ago. (Or maybe 2 years ago.) I never had time, I thought, to really put it in the place where it belonged, mainly because I had forgotten what was in it,
But as I opened it, the memories of 25 years ago flooded my mind and I was taken back to a place I had not visited in so long–the inspiration for the plan of my home I am living in today. I still had 5 children at home during that time, and one thing I did well was to teach them to love Christmas. So all of us started collecting Christmas villages.
As I opened the first box, I remembered this house that I thought could be my dream home. I would imagine all sorts of grand times this family that lived there was going to have. I can remember my excitement as I would think about having a grand Christmas Tree in the window and all the snow that would fall each Christmas. I can remember thinking that my children would have so many wonderful Christmases in a home like this. All of them would stay young and never leave me and we would live in an eternal state of “Christmas.” Nothing would go wrong and all would be bliss.
And then I opened the next box. It was the Antique store that I so loved. I never have loved a lot of antiques, but I do love a few. Most antique stores depress me if I stay too long. So I can remember telling my friend who loves Antique stores, that I would like to have a shop where I created special designs for many women and that they would be able to come to the shop and have coffee and feel like they tell me their life story and I would be their best friend for the 30 minutes they were in the shop. You know, the one who knows all your faults, but loves you anyway.
Isn’t it funny how when you’re in your “happy place” nothing can go wrong. All is perfect. All is calm and all is bright.
It’s funny. How many people have their dreams come true? My home that I’m living in now was patterned after that little “Dickens Village” house. And while I do not own an antique store, I do have a shop where so many come and share their loves, lives, disappointments, losses and dreams. They know I love hearing them and learning about them. And many of you know, that I pray for you when you tell me about your sicknesses.
You see, memories can inspire us to be better people for one another. Memories can take us to a place where everything can turn out all right even when the real circumstance is far from perfect. The memory that I shared with my friend about my shop has come true. True, I’ll never be a Fortune 500 company, but I have something so much better with much less stress. I have the memories of all your lives and what you’ve shared with me. I have the memory of seeing your homes become showplaces of beautiful memories that you share with all who walk through your doors. And I have the beautiful memories I’ve collected when interacting with you. But the biggest take away is what I’ve learned from so many of you. You all inspire me to keep reaching upward to greater heights.
So let the season of making memories with you begin. I can’t wait to show you Spring! Bring on the tulips and the Forsythia branches.
P.S. We’re heading to market. Hope to have a lot of pictures for Facebook!
Love to all!
Debbie
