A mushroom shaped ceramic piece; bright red with a warm tone, splashed with gold. This has traveled with me from one home to the next, for over 30 years... well maybe it’s been closer to 50 years. It’s amazing it’s never cracked, chipped or broken after the years of countless destinations.
Why, after all these years do I keep such a hideous piece of ceramic? My aunt - my favorite aunt - presented this to me in my careless early teen years.
Why is it so difficult to let it go? My life has been a string of losses. Nothing is left of my dad’s family. Really, not much is left of my family... Every year special occasions - “Hallmark Holidays” I like to call them - flood my mental space with a mix of emotions. The holidays are difficult enough without the physical presence of those that once echoed a familiar saying from years of family gatherings. I have a list of people that have passed away that is much longer than the list of people I socialize with today.
And, here I sit, wondering about things left behind, from people I once cared about.
A story about a nurse, an ugly keep sake, and what makes the holidays hard.