There are fewer good things about growing old than there are bad. But even though there are fewer, they may outweigh the the multitude of bad things.
When I was small, Christmas was for me, like most children, a wonderful exciting time. At least the build up to and the morning of Christmas was wonderfully exciting. The anticipation of getting gifts. As we grew older that anticipation of getting gives gave way more and more with age to the anticipation of giving gifts. I know there have been Christmases I have managed to buy my wife, Georgiann, something very special and to present it in a special way, and I could barely wait watch to watch her open it.
One Christmas, I hope it was a Christmas, and not another event that I am remembering, I bought her a diamond ring which to my wife was even more special than perhaps to many women. The reason is because we were not allowed to wear jewelry as we grew up, and even until we were in 30s I guess we did not. So getting a diamond ring for her I knew was special.
My wife is also very much into antiques. I went to an antique store and purchased a very large dictionary that had been printed and sold sometime around the beginning of the 20th century. So the dictionary was probably nearly 90 years old. I opened the dictionary to the page where the word love appeared, and carved out of the pages a hole to hold the box the diamond ring came in.
The children were in on the secret and we all stopped what we were doing to watch her unwrap this very large, very heavy, very old dictionary. The look on her face was precious. A look of very mixed emotions. A look of "now what in the world did he buy this for me for," and "does he think this is a real nice present?" and "how do I look pleased at getting this very large, very heavy, very old dictionary?"
She looked up, and smiling said "Thank You." We suggested she open it and of course she soon found the ring. The look now changed. She "got it." The true gift was not in the wrapping, or even in the packaging inside. The true gift, in reality, was not even in the diamond, but in the relationship behind the diamond.
I believe, that this Christmas number 60 for me will be perhaps my most meaningful Christmas to date. After a lifetime of searching for answers to questions I believe I enter this Christmas with more understanding of the lives, the events, and glory, the amazement and yes, even the magic of Christmas. Am I ready for Christmas morning? Hardly. I have only begun to shop. And of course the money is gone. I may just have to be more creative than expansive this Christmas.
