…………………Sorry to be a day late, but I couldn’t post this Christmas message from my brother’s home….As they say….better late then never………I don’t remember much about last Christmas. I was in a daze, and did what I was told, and went where I was led. Thank God for my brother Mauro and my sister in law Kathy who took great care of me……This first year without my Jac has been, without question, the most difficult and desperately sad year of my life, and now another Christmas has come……This one somehow feels like the first one without Jac. All of my emotions are heightened and raw….I didn’t know what to post or what to say so I started looking through the many many photos in my library, and this collage came up! I knew immediately that this was the photo to post. I can’t remember a happier Christmas….This is our Christmas story out of all the Christmases we lovingly spent together……One night while we were snuggled in our bed we heard a terrible crashing noise!….Our Christmas tree had fallen down and most of our ornaments that we had collected over the years had broken…..All of the memories of collecting them, from near and far, were destroyed in an instant…We saw our history, our happy times broken into a million little pieces of glass on the floor…..I had mentioned what had happened in a post…….The next thing we knew there was a big box behind our front door????The Ladies of the Coterie had gotten together and bought beautiful ornaments, which they sent to us. To say we were overwhelmed would be an understatement…….Jac was so happy, we both were, but Jac was like a little girl opening each present. It was pure joy. I will never forget her face….Every year since, Jac would store this special group of ornaments in their own container, and every Christmas when we opened the box, the joy and memories would come pouring out…..Last year I brought the tree out at Thanksgiving so Jac could enjoy it. Jac didn’t want me to decorate it, because she thought it would be too much for me, and it would take too much time. She just wanted me to sit with her and enjoy the lights………..This year I was determined to decorate the house and the TREE as we always had it……..something I was compelled to do……..for Jac…… I have been flooded with all kinds of emotions. Her loss has never been as painful as it is now…………..Then I opened THE box of special ornaments and all of the good memories and the joys of that time came over me like a tsunami…..I will forever be grateful for being able to have this time with Jac and the happy memories that you gave us….They will be with me forever………….This will always be, for us, the true meaning of Christmas………………………………..Merry Christmas everyone……………may God bless each and every one of you and all of your loved ones……………………much Love……………………….Louis
I have thought of you often this fall and especially now during the holidays. I’m not hugely religious, but I do believe in a power that is greater, and in the collective energy of all who have come before us. My mother and I went to a chapel last week because I told her we needed to send lots of love and light to my friend LDO who is struggling and in pain. We lit candles and sat quietly holding hands thinking of you. When we left we were both very quiet, and I asked her, did you feel something very powerful in there? She said, a vision of a beautiful woman, blonde, and smiling came to her and I told her, that’s Jac. She’d never seen either of you. Jac is never far from you–we said your name and asked for grace when we lit our candles, and she came to visit. While nothing will ever be the same and no amount of warm wishes really makes a difference, I think that how you use whatever time you have left is how you will keep Jac alive. I hope 2019 brings more smiles than tears, and that you feel the love around you from your friends (including those of us who you bless everyday with your gift for beauty). XX Kate
Dear Kate, thank you so much for telling me this….it means a lot to me.
Dear Louis,
I too get comfort from some of my Christmas decor. An ornament that was purchased at a special time, an ornament that was on my childhood trees, a magical christmas village, a fresh cut tree, each one is precious. But this year as a very special glass bell purchased in 1975 slipped from my fingers and shattered on the floor, I realized that all these things are not nearly as precious as the memories that are carried in my heart. Those memories lighten my soul and give me joy. I am so happy that in some way you were able to capture a special Christmas memory and find some peace. We each have our special angels who never completely leave us, how wonderful that you can sense your Jac when she “speaks” to you. Blessings for 2019, from a Linea friend of old, classicms
Louis, best wishes for the New Year. I so enjoyed meeting the two of you in person that memorable evening at La Chaumarie in Washington. And I got to sit across from and enjoy Jac’s company, if only for an evening. You were blessed for so many years — and with so many memories.
Ray
Dear Ray….it is so nice to hear from you. Of course every time I think of or read something from Barbara I think of you and the wonderful evening we had together. I think you and Barbara were very very lucky to have found each other……You truly belong to each other….God Bless.
May God bless you, Louis, as you move forward.
I have been thinking and praying for you this holiday season, Louis. What a lovely thing that beautiful group of Linea ladies did! I love seeing all the pictures of your recent get togethers. So glad that you have family and friends to shower love on you at this time. Your home was decorated so beautifully. Love and hugs to you!
We experienced great joy in choosing each ornament and surprising Jac and you. It made us so very happy that they became a Christmas tradtion for you two, like Jac’s fabulous recipes and your special clothes are always part of our holidays. That the ornaments and holding to your traditions brought comfort this Christmastide rekindles the spirit with which they were given. Know that we hold you close in our thoughts, expecially this time of year.
Thank you so much for these wonderful pictures, Louis! We had so much fun picking out the individual ornaments each of us wanted to send you, along with the messages from each of us. Angela also had a hand in this as she confirmed to me that the earlier ornaments had indeed been lost, along with many that were lost in your flooded basement as result of the big storm. My understanding was that some of them had been Jac’s mother’s ornaments, no doubt filled with memories for each of you. Our love for both you and Jac is carried to you both via the ornaments and will continue to do so!
We are enjoying a wonderful Christmas here with our son, his wife, and our four year old grandson. God is good to us! XXOO
That beauty of a girl and that talent of a young designer coming together was heaven sent! As I get older and learn more…I know when we all go we will be surprised how easy it is to cross over into the arms of our beloved ones. You love who you love and you will always miss that physical presence. But Jac is loving you right back. She is your guardian angel now. She knows what you are thinking before you do. A beautiful collage…May 2019 be a terrific year for You and Linea and Beautiful Jac!
What a beautiful tribute. We also all loved Jac and you. May happy thoughts continue to keep you strong.
Beryl
Dear Louis,
You and Jac are very special people. We all treasure you so much.
My ongoing prayer for you is that you will continue to know the love and comfort that God is bestowing upon you. This life is, indeed, a journey and God is with you every step of the way.
All the best,
Ruth