When the leaves begin to fall , and you sense the holidays approaching , do you ever feel a tingly , heart-warming wave of nostalgia ? I do . For me , it always seems to follow a crisp , familiar scent in the air . Some say it ’ s the smell of fall . I ’ ve always thought of it more as the signature scent of football . When I recognize these special signs of the season , I am immediately taken back to my childhood in my hometown .
Mesquite , Texas , is the heart and soul of most of my childhood memories . Playing with the neighborhood crew to the soundtrack of the Mighty Maroon Band practicing at Hanby Stadium is a memory I will always hold near and dear to my heart . When I hear the familiar train sounds that seem to become an unnoticed background noise , I feel a sense of comfort — a sense of home . Recently , I found myself sitting at a traffic light , admiring a beautiful , bright pink sunset as it created a spectacular backdrop for the towering white and orange striped A-frame Whataburger ( that also stands as a constant reminder that I am close to home ). I remember hearing my mom jokingly say , “ Yes , we reside in the Whataburger Estates .”
It ’ s moments like these that trigger memories that will forever make me smile .
But the most special memories — and my favorites — are the vivid memories I have of my mother reading to me . She always had a voice for every character and a tone for every feeling ; she made the stories come to life . My imagination ran wild as she read the words on the page . I ’ m not sure if either of us really knew the impact and impression that this everyday exercise was having on my little , growing brain at the time .
Fortunately , my mother equipped my brother and me with countless storytime memories . We both still reflect on those special moments today , as busy “ grown-ups .” We ’ ll continue to think back on those moments , as we grow older and wiser — Mom made sure of it . I think the reason these memories stick with me is because love was embodied in every moment .
As a working mom , the time and enthusiasm my mother put into her reading performance was probably more than she had to give . She took us on adventures all over the world , underwater , in ancient times and light-years into the future . Many nights I snuggled up to my big brother as Mom read a chapter of “ Where the Red Fern Grows ” followed by “ Where the Wild Things Are .” More often , there were bedtimes when I hid under the covers while Mom read , in Grover ’ s voice , “ There ’ s a Monster at the End of This Book .” No matter what , one thing was always recognizable and present — love .
As you spend time with family and loved ones throughout this holiday season , I encourage you to stop and take a mental snapshot when you feel that love . Make an effort to create memories this season that are full of joy because those are the ones that won ’ t expire . Like the gift that my mother has passed onto me , and I to my son , I hope that you too will give the gift of love through reading to your little ones . No matter the age , we are never too young or too old to enjoy a good story .
May your holidays be filled with love and joyful memories .
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Your neighbor ,
Jaci Mouser
MISD Community Liaison