Candy-Coated Dreams
There are moments in life so saturated with love and imagination that they seem destined to be unforgettable. In the gentle embrace of many evenings, as the sun said its golden goodbyes, my children and I would gather for what I believed were such moments. My children, Hannah and Andrew, would snuggle under their blankets, eyes twinkling, as we sailed off to the fantastical realm of Candy Land. Yet, today, those memories are bittersweet whispers of the past, vivid for me but dim in my children's minds.
These nightly tales were not mere bedtime stories; they were spiritual adventures into a world painted with their favorite candies. It was as if Willy Wonka himself had devised this dreamy world just for us. Rivers of molten chocolate, licorice trees, and mountains paved with Skittles. Each story would center around Hannah and Andrew’s conquering quests and favorite treats, all while teaching them life values wrapped in sugary dreams. Andrew especially loved the tales and he could see himself right inside the delicious adventure.
Woven into the sweet stories of our Candy Land bedtime routine were our annual outings to the pumpkin patch with dear friends. This was not just a day; it was an experience. The pumpkin scenes, characters, animals, snacks, and fall colors, I thought these were imprints of their young lives, making everlasting memories with life-long friends.
As heart-wrenching as it was to hear Andrew say he didn't remember Candy Land or the pumpkin patch adventures, Hannah's recollections were equally poignant. She only remembers the pumpkin patch when prompted by old photographs, and the Candy Land tales are mere echoes in her mind. "What we remember from childhood, we remember forever," says the writer Cynthia Ozick, but what if those memories don't stick?
So here’s the unanticipated lesson, inspired by the author, Maya Angelou: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Perhaps the physical memory fades, but the emotional resonance, the feeling of being loved and nurtured, anchors itself deep within their hearts.
In the end, maybe it's not about the candy-coated dreams or the pumpkin patch adventures. Maybe it’s about something deeper, something that needs no memory to validate its existence. The enduring legacy of love and togetherness. And isn’t that what we all aim for when creating traditions with our families?
xoxox…..Sheryl
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