Christmas past is a soft warm glow that fills

our hearts with poignant joy;

Memories softly blurred with more beauty as they age.

Knowing they’ll never come again causes feelings of tenderness.

Christmas future is the great unknown with only a wistful hope

that what was before will return with as much or more.

That anticipation builds dreams to come with possibilities.

Christmas now is here giving us delightful charms of the moment

as we watch the laughter of brightly smiling children.

Children like whom we once were and are vicariously again.

Think about those memories of the manger, angel choirs singing

carols of praise, Santa Claus, gifts, decorated trees

and homes, smells of gingerbread and pumpkin pie,

and roasted turkey.

And as we think of all those blessings given and received,

learned by heart in times gone by, embrace that gratitude held as

treasure for days to come.