On the Stairs

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

Somewhere in the family archives, there exists a series of photographs of my brother and I on Christmas morning. In every one, we are sitting together on a step, halfway down the staircase, grinning and tense with anticipation of going just around the corner into the living room where the tree and the presents are waiting for us. As children, it was a fun and frustrating pause in our race to start the magic of the day. Looking back, it is now a sweet lesson in how to treasure your Dear Ones.

I have learned enough for this one lifetime

through the ritual of childhood Christmas morning.

Come down the stairs, halfway,

sit next to your brother on the stair

and wait

shaking, tense, clutching at the carpeted stair

while Mom and Dad go ahead,

Dad comes back with his camera for the Christmas morning picture --

smile, don't move, he takes so long to focus --

"Daaaad!" and a spreading grin as he finally clicks the shutter.

Released, bound down the last stairs and into the living room,

where the tree is lit, Mom is smiling,

all the gifts are wrapped in our own special paper.

All I need to know is this:

The moment just before,

where everything vibrates and shimmers --

sit down in that moment and capture

how precious and treasured you are.