THE MIRROR

Welcome Through My Back Door. It is almost Christmas and many of us have been  been so busy decorating, cooking, shopping and entertaining, that often we say, "It is so much work and it comes and goes so fast, etc". It doesn't have to be that way. It is too often we have ourselves to blame as we want it all to be perfect. We want it to be perfect for all those we love and hold dear.  The decorating was finished early this year, shopping done,entertaining over,except for the most important people, my family, who will all be here on Christmas Day, and some cooking to be done, but with all that said, it has left me time to reflect. Like a lot of you, several people I love won't be coming Through My Back Door this year. In fact a lot of them haven't been through it in years. A few weeks ago  I was given the most wonderful gift. It doesn't look like much and some of you will think that old thing. However it is most special to me. It is THE MIRROR.
You see this mirror once held the reflection of lots of people who no longer  come Through My Back Door.

My daddy had  several brothers and sisters, who in turn had children, my cousins. They were the only cousins I had. My grandparents were far from wealthy. My grandma, nannie, as we called her was a little bitty woman, who could not read nor write. My papaw was a big man and could absolutely squeeze your breath out with one of his bear hugs.Oh how my cousins and I loved those two. Many years they had no inside bathroom, and this is where the mirror comes into play. It hung on the back porch, it was screened in. and below it was a bench with a wash pan and a water bucket. My aunts combed their hair, washed their faces and fixed themselves up, looking in this old mirror. My papaw shaved and combed his hair looking in this old mirror.My daddy combed his hair and probably thought about how handsome he was in this old mirror. After my uncle put them an inside bathroom in, they closed in the back porch, because you had to go through there to get to the bathroom. A new medicine cabinet hung in the new bathroom, but the old mirror still hung on the back porch. I remember looking in that old mirror, as do all my cousins I am sure. It was just a fixture hanging on that porch we all took for granted.
A few weeks ago my Aunt Annie, who is very special to me, gave me THE MIRROR. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to get to be the keeper of this treasure. I vow not to ever be sad when I look at this old mirror, but to think instead of the reflections it once held. I will always treasure it just as I do the memories of the people it saw.  Now do you see it isn't just an old mirror, but THE MIRROR of memories past.
I ask each of you to join me this year in not being sad because some of our loved ones no longer Come Through Our Back Doors, but to be thankful they once did and their memories still do. Lets embrace the loved ones we still have and make every moment count. 
Thank you so much for Coming Through My Back Door the last several weeks. I am so humbled that you read my little blog  and for the friendships we have developed.

This is my beautiful Aunt Annie, who I am thankful still comes Through My Back Door  where life is good.

I want to leave you on lighter note. This is the sweet rottweiller who lives Through My Back Door singing I Wish you a Merry Christmas.
I do too.
betty