This time of year I’m sure many of you would associate ‘the big drop’ with the ball of lights in Times Square that will make it’s big fall just nine short days from now. A few days before Christmas, ‘the big drop’ I think of is much different.
It was the evening of December 25, 1985. I was seven years old. My family was visiting my grandparents. Of course my sisters and I brought along some of the goodies that Santa had delivered just hours before. One of those gifts happened to be a remote controlled Barbie corvette. I’ll never forget it. My sister Kristy, who is two years older than me, got it from Santa. It was white with teal accents and it made a real car noise when it was driving. The remote had a steering wheel on it, which I thought was so cool because it was as if you were really driving. I have to admit, I really liked my sister’s gift and honestly I cannot remember what Santa brought me that Christmas.
Well, somewhere after the Christmas cookies and before the tears, the corvette got dropped. I swear I didn’t do it. No biggie, right? I’m sure it’s fine. About an hour after my dad and his brother, both electricians, tinkered around with it, we knew it would never be the same. The corvette worked fine for about ten hours before ‘the big drop.’ I know there were tears. I think I shed more than my sister. My dad ended up cutting the chord, so we could still push it around. Such a solemn moment.
Why do I recall this horrible Christmas memory? Well, I think sometimes we, myself included, try to make everything around the holidays so ‘perfect.’ There is really no room for error or disappointment. The time goes by so fast and we want it to be everything we hoped it would be. There is nothing wrong with these heartfelt intentions, but the pressure that is mounting underneath the colorful lights can cause prevent us from actually living in the moment. Whether you have a ‘big drop’ at your Christmas this year or not, just remember – we remember moments…and in order to remember them we have to actually live in them. Enjoy your family and friends these next few days. Merry Christmas!