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TheTime COIN
Camille Anding
As the hourglass appears to speed up in its dispensing of time,
I realize the need to downsize in our collection of “life” that hangs on our walls, fills our storage
space, and sits on every available surface. Our “things” are forcibly taking over our living space
which amplifies my need to downsize or as this generation calls it – adopting minimalism.
I’ve promised myself that I’m definitely with great intention and determination heading in
that direction, but it will have to wait until after Christmas. Some things are just meant to be
kept. (Someone say, “Amen.”)
We downsized our 10 foot pencil Christmas tree to an 8 foot model, so that helped...a little.
But then there’re the ornaments – lots of ornaments! Who can give away years of nostalgia
that’s glued or stamped on every ornament selection we put on our tree?
I still have ornaments that were gifts from my music students. There are cutouts made by
our children that they glued with their tiny, precious fingers. The angel that adorns the top of
the tree is the prize ornament that we bought when we were newlyweds and should have
spent that money on food!
A dear friend started me a collection of Radko ornaments that always get packed away in
a tissue-filled box. How could I part with those?
There have been ornament swaps over the years, and wonderful friends gave me their
“friendship” that I hang on our tree each year. I’ve collected lovely jeweled cross ornaments,
and there are several stained glass pieces that reflect light and joy. I admit that some of the
jewels have shifted, and not every ornament is in its original condition, but the
nostalgia continues to hold its own.
Recently I wandered slowly down a magical aisle of Christmas ornaments.
They continue to cast a spell on me, but minimalism has begun to take
root. I just looked with a few “oohs” and an occasional touch. I’m learning
to say, “Enough.”
Isn’t that what the Christmas season teaches us with the birth of our Savior?
He came to give us abundant, eternal life. Isn’t that more than enough?
90 • DECEMBER 2023