A Memory of Love from 1934

Scripture:
And now faith, hope and love abide, these three, and the greatest
of these is love. Ist Corinthians 13:13
*****

When I have asked people if they have any regrets,
the answer has always been "yes."

What we, and others regret, more often, are words that we did not share
with a person, whose life had touched ours, while we had a opportunity. (The person was still with us.)
*****
My Regrets
In a time of poverty, my late Aunt Bonnie Eldred, with a gift of love, gave me and eleven other children, a special Christmas. In later years, I learned of Aunt Bonnie's kindness. I don't think I ever told my Aunt how a special Christmas, in our one-room school, has stayed in my memory.
*****
1934
My Aunt Bonnie, in 1934, was 20 years old. She had earned her first money, by hand-painting Christmas cards. While Aunt Bonnie was thinking about how to spend her money, she overheard her older sister, my Mother, talking in the next room. Mother said to my grandmother, "With everyone so poor, it's going to be a bleak Christmas for our children, and the other children in the one-room school."

The next day, (I learned much later), Aunt Bonnie went to see the teacher. She told her of the money she had earned. She said, "I have an idea. Will you help the children write a note to Santa?" The teacher agreed.

The next day, the teacher helped us write to Santa. We could ask for a doll, a jackknife, a book, or a spinning top.

In not too many days, our parents came to our school to see our Nativity play. We all remembered our parts, and our parents clapped for us.

After the play ended, the teacher closed the bed-sheet curtains. When she re-opened the curtains, there was Santa with a cap and a white beard. (My 12 year-old brother played Santa.) Santa came to each one of us with popcorn, candy and a package. Santa had popcorn and candy for our parents, too.

When we children opened our packages, we found the gifts we wanted. That day was a happy one for us children, but Aunt Bonnie had tears in her eyes. We children wondered why.

Written December, 1998; Shortened, December, 2006
A Writing Activity led by Linda Loomis, Professor of English at SUNY Oswego, New York