As she pulled the soft, knitted gloves from her hands, Sarah suppressed a shiver that had nothing to do with the frigid weather she had left just outside the door. Large brown eyes shimmered slightly with unshed tears as she looked around her grandparent’s home. Of course, without her grandparents there, it was just another house on the street. Her grieving spirit reached out for some small connection that perhaps was left unbroken in spite of the fact they were both gone, and her lips tightened just a bit as she found nothing left. The warmth of their smiles. The joy of their hugs. The imperceptible feeling of peace whenever she was in their arms. None of that was here today, and a thin breath she didn’t even know she was holding escaped her young frame.
“Look Sarah”, her brother exclaimed as he ran toward the Christmas tree. Their father had plugged in the lights and the tinsel shimmered slightly as the air moved it back and forth. Jeremy was motioning her toward the tree, and she went to stand beside him. Only a year apart, they were almost the same size, but Jeremy was in second grade and she was in the third. Carefully he reached forward and touched a small silver racecar ornament hanging from a ribbon. “This was Grandpa’s ornament we told you about”, he said in a slightly hushed voice looking at his sister. “Now you get to pick one too,” he added, his eyes holding all the excitement he had experienced when his father had told him the story of the silver racecar ornament the night before.
Sarah looked at the tree more closely now. Each year of her young life, Grammie had talked to her about the ornaments hanging on the tree. There were several which reminded her of her grandmother. Miniature knitting needles hung from a red satin ribbon. An avid knitter, Grammie had made several blankets for each of them as well as hats, gloves and socks. In fact, the gloves she had removed earlier were knitted for her just two years before from soft, dark green yarn with a trim of white angora at the top. They’d had a little more notice Grammie was unwell than they did with Grampie. During the time left she had knitted a pair of gloves for each of them to keep them warm, with a very soft yarn so they would stretch a little better to last through the years.
In addition to the knitting needles, there was the chocolate chip cookie on a golden thread, a small bible with real words in it, a musical note, a piano, a golden angel, and a teacup with pretty violets, Grammie’s favorite flower. Sarah was sure the old teapot with violets was still on the kitchen counter where Grammie had left it, as though waiting for her to return. Of course, Sarah knew that would never be, but the teapot was there anyway.
No ornament felt as special as the silver racecar, although Sarah loved them all because they told the story of her grandparent’s lives. “Time for cocoa and cookies everyone”, her mother said warmly coming out from the kitchen. Sarah’s father had spread a blanket on the living room floor, and her mother placed a plate of cookies, a tray of mugs and a thermos of steaming cocoa down in the middle. A Christmas evening picnic to sustain them through this difficult time. Grammie had been gone two years, and Grampie had just passed away suddenly a month ago. It was hard to be happy this year, even though Christmas was such a special celebration of the greatest gift of love ever. This year the smiles came less often, and Sarah wistfully touched the little baby in the manger saying a soft “Happy Birthday” as she and Grammie had done each year, before sitting by the fire to share tea with the special Christmas cupcakes they had made together.
Leaving their coats behind, Jeremy and Sarah joined their parents and began enjoying the sweet Christmas cookies they had helped bake earlier in the day. “I think it would be nice for each of us to tell a special memory of Grampie and Grammie we hold in our hearts,” her mother said. “Would you like to begin Sarah?” she asked. Sarah chewed thoughtfully on a cookie and then began her story.
“When I visited Grammie, she would take me to her room and let me play dress up in her closet, then I could pick a piece of jewelry from her box, and we would put on hats and parade around the room for Grampie.” “I remember that”, Jeremy said. “You looked so funny in her clothes”. Then Sarah’s eyes lit up. “Mom, do you think I could choose an outfit and a necklace to take home for dress up?” “Sure honey,” her mother answered, and they all climbed the stairs to the second floor. Sarah chose her favorite blue dress and a hat with little blue roses on it. Then her mother lifted down the wooden jewelry box Sarah had opened so many times before.
When Sarah lifted the lid, on top of the jewelry was a small white box with her name on it. Her grandmother had placed it there for her two years ago, but no one had opened the jewelry box until today. “Mom”, she said excitedly, “This is my name. Can I open it?” “Well since it’s your name, I think you are probably the only one who can”, she replied. Carefully Sarah lifted the lid from the box and removed the sheet of folded lavender paper from inside. Opening the paper she began to read, but some of the words were beyond her. “Could you read it for me Mom,” she asked, and Stephanie took the sheet of paper from her daughter’s slender hands.
“Dear Sarah,” the note began. “I want you to have this gift to remember the bond between a Grandmother and Granddaughter never ends. When I was about your age, my own Grandmother gave me this locket with our pictures in it. She was a wonderful Grandmother, and I loved her so much. She would always sing me cheerful songs, and read to me, and bake me cookies with little bits of chocolate in them. Best of all, she was kind and loving, and taught me what a Grandmother should be like. I hope your memories of our time together are just as wonderful as mine are of her
This locket is meant to be passed down from grandmother to granddaughter, and it holds six pictures. The first two are of my grandmother and me when I was a little girl. The second two are of you and I this year. I look much different than the first picture, don’t I? There is more space for your picture when you are a grandmother, and your little granddaughter. It may seem impossible at this young age to think you will ever be old, but you will be surprised how quickly the years pass by.
The locket is held by a silver chain, representing the chain of memories that bind us together throughout eternity. I wish you joy every day of your life, a loving family, work to keep you busy, and time to share with all those you love. Also, please take my small, white bible with you. This was a gift from my grandmother too, and now it is yours. In it you will find the stories I have told you about God’s love for each and every one of us. When you celebrate Jesus birthday, remember a gift under the tree for Him. Give a toy to another child. Do something selfless to help someone. The gift doesn’t matter as long as it is a gift of love. Just like the gift of love God gave us in baby Jesus all those years ago.
We live always in one another’s memory, and one day when you are very, very old, you can come meet my Grandmother. You will love her too, just as I know she loves you. Enjoy every moment of life dear. It is a special gift. Blessings and Love Till we meet again ~ Grammie.”
Gently Sarah lifted the silver heart locket out of the box and watched it spin slowly in the lamp light. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Sarah said aloud. After a few moments Sarah said, “I know what I want to do. I want this locket to be my ornament. Each year I will hang it on the tree to remind me of the silver chain of memories we all share. Then during the year I will hang it in my room to remind me of Grammie.” Looking up at her Mom she asked, “Does that sound OK?” Her mother hugged her tightly and said, “That sounds like a wonderful idea Sarah.” For the first time that night Sarah smiled, her heart felt lighter, and her Grandmother didn’t seem so very far away after all.
Copyright © Rita J. Lammers 2016