Saying good-bye is not always a bad
thing. Especially when it only invites
clutter and chaos. In 1985 I was on my mission. It was my second Christmas in the mission
field and my family decided to send me a tape and king size card with greetings
from various friends and neighbors from my home ward.
A 22X25 poster paper was purchased and
folded in half. My family decorated the
front with pictures which represented my personality – a picture of Baloo and
Mowgli from Jungle Book (I love Disney’s
animated version of that show) Ziggy, a picture of ceramic
nativity set, trees and flower in bloom, dance shoes, real mountains (Utah mountains, not the hills of Virginia where I served)
the Salt Lake Temple, dolls, golden plates, scripture paintings , and musical
icons.
In addition to all the magazine
cut-outs were two actual photographs.
One was of me with my missionary name tag and the other was a recent
family gathering that I would guess Corey had taken (as he was not in it) which
included my dad’s mother, brother, sister and their families – or parts of them
anyway (my uncle’s oldest two are also missing from the photo)
My
11X14 card contained signatures from so many – it was an honor that my family
had gone around with the tape recorder to so many of my ward family. I think they must have gotten all of them
with one devise or the other. Some would
sign my card from self and spouse – and then I would find spouses signature
elsewhere on the card. Some would just
sign names without a greeting. Most were
just typical Christmas greetings – but there were some that added personal
comments. Surprisingly, I still remember
everybody who had signed the card.
Corey
had placed on the back: “When you care
enough to send something better than a Hallmark” and “the Best Homemade Card
Company around” – it still makes me smile – and really, it doesn’t take up that
much room. But it’s been bent, torn in
places, and some of the pictures have faded.
I don’t really NEED it. Time to
say good-bye.
I
don’t know where the tape is. I have
several shoe boxes full of cassette tapes.
Most I will end up throwing away – or use them for recording things I
would like right now. I think most tapes contain something that I want – but
certainly not all of it.
I
remember a couple of people singing Christmas songs on the tape that my family
had sent along with the enormous card. One visitor said that she wasn’t aware
that I was even on a mission. It was
nice to hear so many voices that had been familiar to me. My family obviously
put a lot of thought into my gift and thus I cherished it. Still do – just not in a tangible way.
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