Nothing better!

One year I had no money at Christmas-time, so I cut Mom's face from a picture, glued it to a picture of a catalog model's figure, and cut and trimmed outfits from various sources to create a wardrobe.

When she opened it, we all laughed so hard, I'm surprised nobody stroked out! Thirty years later, she still pulls it out when she needs a good laugh! 😅

It always takes me a couple of days to shrug off the immediate stressors, and then I start processing, digging for whatever insights may lay in store for me. I don't bounce back easily, but I do recover and sometimes am better off than before.

It's funny how unpredictable growth is.

My Dad made them terrifying events. Though it's a relief to have spent so many of them without him, the sadness for the child whose holidays were permanently scarred remains.

My favorite antidote is to make some lovely, new thing for each, small or large, that I can delight in looking at when I feel that dread or grief. It provides immediate escape from memories by grounding me in who I am compared to who I was.

I hope you're ok this morning after. ❤️‍🩹

I am glad you are not as lonely, Tracy!😍