Friday, December 10, 2010

My Christmas Gift to You

I know how many people feel when seeing the memorial sites along the highway where people have died in car accidents.  The Friday before my oldest son Tommy died I saw a memorial and thought to myself "Why can't they get over it!".  Then the next day I had a visit from an Easton police officer telling me that my son had been in a "single car, single occupant, fatality accident".  I know I will never be the same; part of me died with Tommy.

Christmas was Tommy's time of the year.  He hung Christmas lights in his bedroom, he decorated every corner.  He was the reason I made a turkey every Christmas Eve.  He was the reason we kept up the tradition of having Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry every year after my dad passed away (I gave my dad a bottle of Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry back in 1971: starting a tradition of a toast of Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry for a "Happy Holiday" every year).

Tommy always slept by the Christmas tree.  He would shake every present under the tree to try and guess what it was, even when he was 30 years old.  He always woke up early on Christmas morning; waking his sleeping siblings Stephen and Alison so the presents could be opened. 

Tommy was my Christmas baby; I miss him so much. 

Many years ago Tommy and I listened to Luciano Pavarotti's Christmas Special On PBS.  One song touched us both.  We laid on the floor, my legs resting on the couch and his little legs stretched out with his heels resting on the side of the couch.  His left hand was resting in my right hand.  Pavarotti, along with the children's choir, sang Panis Angelicas...so beautiful.  When it was over Tommy asked me if this was what heaven was like, and I said "I hope so".  Please listen to the most beautiful music...a Christmas gift..a bit of Tommy's heaven:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkU9_5VhpP8

2 comments:

Ginny M said...

So beautiful! You must have wonderful memories of holidays spent with your "Christmas Baby."

Grammie Brown said...

Thank you, yes Tommy was my special Christmas baby...I miss him so much!