STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

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Dec 23, 2005? 

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Today's Christmas Stories
~**~**~**~

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2005 ? 

Dianna Doles Petry

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In January I turned forty-six and started to reflect on my life,

I thought of all the years I'd spent as a daughter, a mother, a wife,

I felt a sadness in my heart, didn't think I'd accomplished much,

All of my dreams and passion were too far away for me to touch.

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Then February roared in and I felt cold as I lost my dear friend,

Only nine days later the same scene would play over again,

Had I given them enough friendship? I cried myself to sleep,

I made myself many promises that I vowed to always keep.

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March found me beginning to heal and move forward once more,

I thought that surely it was time for some happiness to find my door.

Then I got some news that left me shattered and feeling blue,

Another friend was facing a crisis, what in the world was I to do?

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By April I had realized that only my friends could help me survive,

I had to smell each rose and hug each friend as long as I'm alive,

I called up? many people in my life who hadn't heard from? me,

My heart was full of more emotion and fear that anyone would ever see.

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May brought the news I had been dreading and I knew it had to be,

I couldn't help but wonder why God took them instead of me.

I questioned my faith and I held on to my friends as tightly as I could,

I had made them all promises to carry on and I assured myself that I would.

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The summer came and a wedding was planned, I felt myself smile,

Maybe the loss and the changes in my life had gone away for a while.

Days playing with children, soaking up the sun's rays, walking along the beach,

Seemed to bring simplicity and innocence back within my reach.

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By August it was time to give my daughter away to start a new life,

I was gaining a son, she was finally an adult and she became a wife.

I watched all of my children laugh and dream on her wedding day,

I allowed my tears and frustration with life to be deeply locked away.

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Then September came and I found my life shattered once more,

I watched my son grow weak and I felt my heart sink to the floor,

The days were long, the nights longer still, I prayed as I never had,

Why were good people, even children, tortured as though they are bad?

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When October came and we celebrated his life, I cried a river of tears,

Sixteen-years-old and full of life, I still have so many fears.

Another round of bad news, another loved one ill and dying,

All we can do is to live for today, I can't change the world by crying.

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Thanksgiving came in November, this year I had much to give thanks for,

I'm here to finish out my trip around the sun, how could I ask for more?

I am blessed with friends and family, so many go through life alone,

I know if I need a kind word or a shoulder, you're as close as the telephone.

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Now December is here and Christmas thoughts rule the season,

While so many people want us to forget the celebration's reason.

Miracles happen, it's a matter of believing, a matter of trust to me,

So I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, just the way that it should be.

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Love,

Dianna Doles Petry

Dianna59@charter.net

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~**~**~? 

? ALMOST AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET -TO THE NORTH POLL? 

By David Wainland

So here it is Christmas Eve 1961 and I??™m stuck in the crater of an extinct volcano. Outside the snow is skatie-eight feet high and it??™s dark. As a matter of act it??™s dark almost all the time. December in southern Alaska leaves a lot to be desired. Right now we are down to two hours of daylight and two hours of twilight. It??™s twelve noon the sun is setting in one hour and I haven??™t been out of the main building since the end of October.

Cape Newenham Air Force Station, what a great place to be for the Holidays.?  At least I am off today, but I will have to work tomorrow. That??™s only fair because I am Jewish and this lets one of my crewmates off for the Holiday.

Right now I am having a sandwich in the NCO club and thinking about a beer. Any other place and I would be having second thoughts about tossing down a cold one when it??™s twenty below, but since I??™m not any place else I order it.

???One??™s all you get,??? says the bartender an off duty sergeant, ???The Major wants all off duty and non essential personnel assembled in the rec. hall at one o??™clock. He??™s having an open ranks inspection.???

???Not on Christmas Eve,??? I moan, ???My one day off and he is going to be handing out gigs.??? (Punitive points that accumulate until you draw a punishment)?  ???Where the heck is his Christmas spirit????

So I finish my sandwich and beer and head back to my room to clean up for the inspection. My roommate is doing the same only he??™s grumbling twice as much. He hasn??™t seen his wife and kid for eight months and he is missing them to the point of depression. Many of the guys here are in the same boat, their wives and loved ones a few thousand miles away. For me it??™s just my folks and my brother and sister, but I can deal with that. For the rest, Christmas is not a joyous time on a remote duty station. We??™ve already had a fistfight or two that have gone unreported.

The assembly buzzer sounds and along with sixty or so other airmen we head to the recreation hall. There is not one smile in the bunch, but that changes a bit when the commander greets us as the doors open dressed in a Santa suit. There is a big decorated artificial tree (No way to get a real one out here in the boondocks) and around the base are dozens of gift-wrapped boxes.

The Major has quietly contacted all of our families and arranged for the gifts to be shipped to his attention and one by one he calls us up and hands them out. Some of the boys (They are boys now, not men) are crying and some are laughing. All are having the best Christmas they can remember. Over the loud speaker songs are playing, each one dedicated by the families or friends of all the men on the base. It takes all night and most of the next day to get that done, still no one sleeps until they hear their name.

Here, close to the North Pole and where Santa begins his ride, he paused to give some lonely Airmen a Merry Christmas.

David Wainland

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? ? ~**~**~

The Last Christmas Story? 

By David Wainland

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? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Leaning forward, his pinznez glasses perched on the tip his nose, the old man carefully reviewed the final sentence. This was his last story, the

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final installment to his ongoing collection of Christmas Treasures, his journey was complete.

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? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Over the past thirty years, the last third of his life, he had created legends that would live far into the future, stories of reindeers, red suits and a jolly, bearded fat man. Tales that spoke of gifts for the good little children lumps of coal for the bad, stockings by chimneys and waiting plates of warm cookies.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Generations of young ones would go to sleep Christmas Eve, dreaming of elves, candy canes, presents under Christmas trees and sugar plum fairies, all because of him. The feathered pen that had hovered, and then dipped into hundreds of inkbottles, was worn to a nub, and his fingers cramped under the weight of a million words.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  All that remained was the simple signing of his name, a touch of the blotter and the posting to the printer of books. Then, finally, his life??™s work would be complete the tales would live on, long past his allotted time.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  The old man??™s wife leaned over his shoulder, warm breath touching his wrinkled face as she whispered in his ear.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ???Is it finished then???? she questioned, touching a tear that was slowly drifting down the deep furrow that ran alongside his bulbous nose, between his eye, beard and mouth.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ???Yes, yes it is, the legend of Santa Claus will live on, and a legacy of love will be passed from generation to generation.???

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ???How proud of you I am my dear, and how I also share your loss, still, tradition tells us that someone will come to carry on with your work. More lines will be penned, more joyous times will be celebrated, you my dear, will not go unforgotten.???

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ???Thank you,??? he replied, a new twinkle in his eye, ???Have you finished with my clothes????

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  ???That I have, last year??™s chimney dust has been whisked clean, you are ready to dress and leave, and Nicholas this year, please try to keep from catching cold.???

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David Wainland

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David Wainland

David @ DavidWainland.com

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About Me:

I am a professional artist and metal sculptor known as Sculptoons and I??™m the creator of custom tabletop items. I paint as well as cartoon. My work is displayed at art festivals in Florida.

My passion is writing and I have completed two novels, Matecumbe Key ?©, about the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and Red Absinthe ?©, a murder mystery set in 1926 New Orleans. When I am not working on my art I write stories, poetry and essays about life.

I??™m married and the father of two. My son passed away in July of 2003 and left behind a beautiful daughter. Just one of my three grandchildren. My daughter and her family live in New Jersey

~**~**~

The True Meaning of Yule Time ? 

Ameasha Brown


Have you ever wondered why your parents always told you that giving gifts was far better than receiving and that you should give everyone in the family gifts to show you care.
...What is the meaning of Yule you ask? Can anyone tell me? Is it making gifts for family? NO! Is it stringing popcorn and cranberries, singing Yule carols around the fireplace? NO! Well, this time of year has become so commercialized, video games, high tech computers, flat screen T.V's, new funky gadgets to make life easy, and if you ask me, I'd say detached, complacent, and lazy !! What is this day and age coming to? What happened to the true meaning of Yule!!? All taht matters is making money, filling your pockets, buying stocks and living high off the hog. Money, money, money!! What ever happened to the sleigh rides, the skating parties, hot chocolate with marshmallows swimming on the top? Old time traditions, family gatherings, love and caring, the big turkey dinner with stuffing, yams, home baked desserts. Not Swiss Chalet or Red Lobster and gift certificates I dislike with a passion !!

I??™ll tell you a Yule story of when I was a wee lad.
When the Yule season came around, my little sister and I would wait with such childlike anticipation. As the day grew nearer, we would giggle and laugh and dream of what Santa would bring us, the snow would fall, we would make snowmen and have snowball fights. It was so much fun.

One day we were talking about what Santa would bring us, I wanted a pop gun, and my sister wanted a little glass dolly that she saw in the magazine. Little did we know that our dad and granddad were listening outside the door, so that they could hear every word we had to say. Dad was starting to wonder if we would ever learn the true meaning of Yule.

It was Dec. 15, 1942, and the Saturday that was coming up, was the day we all went to the woods to cut down our Yule tree. Little sister was giggling and running through the trees saying " This tree, no, that tree !! ", just being a girl, and I was feeling quite grown up with father and granddad, and mom was beaming as she always did when we were all together as a family.
We kept looking around until I spotted a six footer, and a grand tree it was. Dad, granddad, and I took turns as we chopped it down. After the tree fell, we tied it to the makeshift sling that was harnessed to the back of Becky, our mare.

At supper time the snow had started to gently fall, and the icicles sparkled as they hung on our windows. Father stoked up the fireplace for the night, while mom and sis did up the dishes. Granddad rocked in his old rocker, smoking his pipe. When all the chores were tended to, we sat down at the table and started to make Yule ornaments for our tree.
Sister was making snowflakes, while I was helping mom string popcorn and cranberries. Father was leveling the tree, so it would stand straight and Granddad was giving instructions, and he was quite good at that. When the tree was done, the last thing to go on was the star. That had been my job, to top the tree with the star before sister came along and seeing her top the tree made me smile. That was something I had handed down to her and she enjoyed every minute of it. After we had trimmed the tree it was time to turn in. We had a long day ahead of us the next day because one of our mares were getting ready to give birth and this was her first. As we kneeled by our beds to say our prayers, I looked out the window and saw a shooting star. I quickly wished that I would get everything I asked for, and then in my prayers I asked again. Again my father was listening outside our bedroom door, still I didn??™t know he had been listening. The days were drawing nearer and the next day was the 23 rd of December and we were both filled with excitment.

We woke early the next morning to the smells of mom cooking our Yule dinner for the next day. Granddad was already out back trying to catch the turkey we had raised all year, and that was quite the sight to see. The smell of cornbread and apple dumplings filled the house. Father and I gathered all the things we would need for the mare, clean rags, pails of boiled water and rubber gloves. I was very excited, this was my first birthing too! By the time we gathered everything it was 7:30 a.m. and when we entered the barn the mare was already in distress.
She was having twins,which was rare. With one out already, father told me to heat the rags with the hot water and rub down the foal to keep it warm. The second foal was stuck with its leg twisted up inside and it was growing weaker by the minute. As father broke the sack from around the foal??™s nose, it gasped for air, but it was growing weak also. I tried to hide the tears, but I couldn??™t. Father was wiping sweat from his brow, when he noticed I was on my knees, holding the foal to keep it warm and praying out loud. I was saying," Please Goddess, I will do anything if you let the foal live. I will give all my presents away, no, I don??™t ever want presents!! Just please let the foal live!! "

My father was growing tired and the mare didn??™t have much life left in her either. It had been hours since we first went out to the barn. Granddad came in to help father out and the two raced against time, but time won and the mare slipped away to the other side. However, for some amazing reason the foal slipped right out. We all stared at each other in shock, then immediately tended to the foal. We returned to the house around 6:00 p.m.. not saying a word to each other. Mom knew by our faces that there was bad news. Everyone was silent at the supper table, then I asked, " Father, why did the Goddess let the mare die and the foals live? I prayed to her to save the foals, but I didn??™t think she would take the mother. The foals need their mother, so what are they going to do now ? ". my father said," They will have to be bottle fed and it won't be easy. We will have to take shifts, but we can do it. "Father replied with a smile.
" Son, I have been listening to you and your sister the past weeks and I didn??™t think either of you knew the meaning of Yule. You were always wanting, wanting and wanting, I was growing disappointed in you, but tonight you made me proud! In your prayers you were willing to give up your presents if the Goddess would answer your prayers and she did. There is a reason she took the mare, but we won??™t understand her reasoning. Sacrifices have to be made at times, son, and this was one of them. She sacrificed her life so her twins would live, and you wanted to sacrifice your presents so the foals would live. You both gave from your hearts. It is better to give, then to receive! Remember that son! "

My mother wiped a tear from her eye as she served up dessert. That day had finally ended as I put my tired body to bed. I said my prayers of thanks and drifted off to sleep. The next morning the smells from the kitchen woke me up, and at the end of my bed was my stocking filled with goodies. I grabbed it and ran downstairs and was shocked to find all my presents I has asked for and then some. I ran to father and gave him a huge hug and began to open my gifts. To me, that was the true meaning of Yule and I have told this story to all my grandkids, so that they would know the true meaning also. By the way, sis still likes to ride on the back of the sling when we chop our tree down every Yule season.

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Ameasha Brown

kittcat1952@hotmail.com? 

Greetings. My name is Ameasha Brown and I live in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. I have lived in the country along the Nith River for over twenty-five years where my husband and I have raised our three children. My passion is to become an author and I hope to publish a book in the near future. I have published articles with several ezines, I have three books in progress, a children's play in progress, and I am also a writer and? team member with Celtic Sorcery Productions ? 

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? Agee, Vance;? Apted, Violet;? Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al;?  Berry, Nell; Blaine, Pamela

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?  Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan;?  Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Streidel, Saskia; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan

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