Visitors

I had a rendezvous with the Flu, or one of its cousins, this week so I have spent a good portion of the past seven days home in quiet meditation. The good thing was that I had so many visitors, old friends from my past, each bringing memories of yesteryears, especially the weeks before our annual Holiday Season.

The bad part was the stress on my aging black mailbox. It is literally now sagging with fatigue. It has earned an easier life having lived with and served our family well for more decades than I dare to count.

One of the first to call was Harrington Ham. I had honestly forgotten about them. They are right, of course. At one period in my life we were quite good friends, especially around Thanksgiving time. Their product was one of the gifts traditionally sent to far away friends and extended family. I’m not quite sure why that ended. It was so long ago, perhaps people became wary of sodium.

And, of course, Omaha Steak indeed brings back another passage of life, now also a memory. We were in contact a great deal when life was so different. Both my Husband and I had full time careers; yet we both enjoyed dining at home. Omaha Steak made it a simple process, but then our lives changed once more. Cooking became more fun, and we forgot this old friend.

Too many toy stores came to call than I can even mention. Indeed they, too, brought along great memories, except for those of the few occasions when their products arrived ready to be assembled. Then our family shared more moments of utter angst than I ever want to recall. So thank you for visiting, but please, I can’t let you stay. Those visitors were promptly escorted to the door.

One of my very favorite old friends is the Vermont Country Store. That beautiful State was our vacation spot with the Fabulous Four for so many memorable years that they are ever and always welcome. I loved their visit, but times and people change, and I no longer have loved ones in my circle who need the memories. Rather they have moved on to cultivate their own, and that is how it should be.

I was truly delighted to see the Candy and Cookie visitors, but when I looked across the room, saw the scale, they were also invited to leave. And, of course, a few unfamiliar guests arrived without invitation. But since I rarely communicate with strangers, they departed abruptly.

Oh, there were so many visitors this past week. Admittedly, they did make the moments of meditation go faster. but I worry about the mailbox. It is far too old for so much activity.