The Gift...

Funny what gifts stick out in your mind... We've all done the Christmas day thing - where at 4:20am it's absolutely time to get up.. we peek around the corner to see what whatshisname has left... then, it's off to mom & dad's room to rally them. "Go away, go back to sleep.. wake us in an hour." Damn. Or, I guess then it woulda been darn.

Onea my favorite gifts was a Motorola radio. Sounds silly, but being the sport's addict I was/still kinda am, I'd lay awake at night and listen to Harry Carey and the Cardinals... later years it was KAAY Little Rock.. and WLS Chicago.. A simple gift, but a favorite.

Three boy cousins, all within three years of age. Annually, it was a duel to see which of us was given the most prestigious gift amongst the three. My cousin D virtually always won - and while he's turned into a wonderful adult - back in those days if he didn't get what he wanted, he'd get on his hands and knees and bang the concrete with his head until he got what he wanted. Hehe. True. Didn't matter if it was G-Ma and G-Pa's in the country, or the middlea Main Street - he was a banger.

The most envied present he ever got was a basketball game (we're talking light years ago) that was maybe 14" by 24" long.. had two baskets... multiple holes where the ping pong ball was to land..(equal number for each side)... and these little flipper things that you flipped once the ball landed in your hole - and you attempted to make a basket. Hours and hours and hours we did that. Not quite Playstation 3 or Wii, but hell we didn't know any better.

My next-to-favorite gift (not counting people in my past - birth of son.. raising stepson) has been the eye surgery. I know I'm beating a dead horse - but today has been one of the most wonderful days of my life as my eye (tested at 20-20 this morning) has gone from 'rabbit ear basic channels' to HD-Supreme. Colors are again wondrous... I can literally SEE faces 20 cash registers over at WalMart. White is WHITE. Bright is BRIGHT. Wondrous. Thanks Doc Brumlige - I'd recommend him to anyone. He even called me last night at 8:30pm just to make sure all was Ok. Above and beyond.

What could be greater than eyesight? Twas when it was believed my sister's breast cancer was gone... finito... wiped out.. I don't remember how many months it was until it metastatsized in her brain - but that time inbetween was the greatest gift any of us ever had. It was the most lived period of our lives. What a crappy reminder cancer (or any serious illness) is about how precious our time here is - but it does have that affect.

Call it sappy, drippy... call it repetitive... call it same ole same ole... but.. Please live for today - for tomorrow doesn't always happen. Love, Victurd