In Other Words---Love

"Remember this December, love weighs more than gold."
~Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

The gifts were wrapped and under the tree. We kids were on the final countdown until Christmas Eve when we would get to open the majority of what was under the tree with my maternal grandparents.

Then, just a couple of days before Christmas, grandad's brother died. Unexpected. It sent things into a turmoil. His funeral was on Christmas Eve. I don't remember a lot about that day; I didn't really know this uncle well. We stayed with my paternal grandparents while Mom and Dad went to the funeral. They came home, collected us and whirled us back to our home for our normal Christmas Eve activities.

Only this year the activities were in an uproar. Mom was rearranging tags on gifts and wrapping gifts for unexpected guests. My great aunt and uncle were returning with my grandparents (my grandfather was one of 11 kids, so I had lots of aunts and uncles!). Mom took a gift out from under the tree from her best friend in the world. She and this friend always exchanged lovely gifts. She made the comment "Jo won't mind" and changed the tag to reflect my great aunt's name.

I don't remember any gifts we received that year. I don't remember if we had our traditional ham dinner, or if it was just sandwiches due to the circumstances. I have almost no memories of that night. Except for a great aunt, hundreds of miles from home who had just buried her brother, opening a lovely ornament that had been chosen for my mom and then lovingly sacrificed by mom. It is one of the most unselfish memories I have of my mom. And I cherish the memory.

Love truly does weigh more than gold....or any other material thing we have have.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
~Matthew 6:19-20~

Denise is our hostess this week. Join her at Shortybear's Place for more reflections on this quote. Have a wonderful week!