Gifts from the Sea, and other Places!!!

This morning I was attempting to declutter some areas. I take baby steps, maybe even crawl. Crawling on my bedroom floor, packing up one of my favorite gifts of all times, my sand-dollars from Keith and Kelly. They were a Christmas present many years ago. They had gathered them off the coast of Maine, hundreds of petite jewels. Then shipped them in a box to me, not to open until Christmas. They were with us in Georgia that Christmas, and retired to the basement on Christmas Eve early, to make my present. All through the night they arranged all of the sand-dollar shells in a huge glass jar, with all of the sand-dollars facing out, it was a masterpiece. It was like a puzzle. Through the years the jar had cracked and this year I decided to take them all out and wash them and maybe place they in another beautiful container. As I touched each one and thought about where it came from, and how precious it was, and how much I loved this gift, I was reminded of all the odd, wonderful gifts I have received in my life. Mom gave me my "Annie" doll one Christmas, I was in my 20's and this was my first rag doll. There was a note inside, to the effect, that My Annie was coming home to me. I still have her upstairs wrapped in a pink shawl from when I was 4, that was a gift from a neighbor. Mom also sent me giant pine cones from "The Farm" my first Christmas in Pennsylvania, such a fun box to open. My friend Jamie has given me so many fun,thoughtful gifts, but the Mali Prayer Beads for my birthday, she gave to me early, thinking I needed them to get me through Ward's funeral. She was right. My brother's signed photo of Ted Neely from Jesus Christ Superstar, had me howling. It was made out to me, my brothers know me so well. Susan this year sent me a Rolling Stones, luggage tag, I smiled, we will always remember walking home from the Gator Bowl to San Marco after our first Stones concert. Gifts from the heart, I'm going to keep them all, the hell with the clutter!!!! OOPs I mean to hell with being organized!!! I think???