Dear Reader:

Haven’t you experienced a time when you were missing a loved one who has passed on and then something happens to bring them back to you… in your memory?

Honey and I were talking about this on the phone a few weeks ago…she said it basically happens with her mother. Whenever she is going through a tough stretch or simply missing her mother at one holiday or another…a little God Wink appears to let her know that her mother is still looking over her.

Honey said this phenomenon often occurs when she is distracted or stressed and looking for something in a drawer or closet and suddenly she pulls out a picture or a piece of jewelry or a letter from her mom and suddenly peace re-enters her world. She feels the connection and love again of a mother and child.

With mom and me…it was chocolate! We shared a mutual love of  plain Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars. One Christmas I decided to give her an “Advent” Hershey chocolate bar… in the sense that it was a “giant” one ….(like I am holding up at Cracker Barrel’s while eating breakfast there yesterday) and would last until Christmas with a bite for each day leading up to it.

Mother loved it but she said it was still too big for one person to eat by Christmas so our sneaky tradition (Starting December 1) was to wait until the grandchildren were asleep (my kids) and each of us would break off a piece of that delicious chocolate and let it melt in our mouths…you could just feel the stress of the day melting away too.

When I walked into Cracker Barrel yesterday and saw the giant Hershey Bar I immediately thought of mother and Christmas time. ( After she died and I was cleaning out her side of the house I discovered all kinds of candy hidden away in her desk drawers in her bedroom…”Good for you mom”…I thought… with a smile on my face.

Then yesterday afternoon what pops up on my computer but a “Mysterious GuidePost” story strangely similar to my story and my mother’s…another great God Wink. Enjoy!

GUIDEPOST: Mysterious Ways –  “Christmas in the Parking Lot”

Rochella O’Neil

Christmas just isn’t Christmas without sharing a giant chocolate Hershey bar with Mom , I thought wistfully, looking at the display of bars on sale at the grocery store one cold December day.

It’s not your usual holiday tradition, but it was for me. I’m not sure how it started, but every year for as long as I could remember, as a way to welcome in the holiday, Mom and I would run to the store to buy a giant milk chocolate Hershey bar. We’d keep it in the refrigerator at home and would break off little pieces in the days before Christmas, sometimes even dipping them in peanut butter. It was a guilty pleasure we loved sharing together.

Mom had passed away just a couple of months earlier. No, no chocolate bar this year , I thought. Not without Mom to share it . I turned away from the display of chocolate and headed to the checkout line to pay for my groceries.

As I pushed my cart toward my car, I kept thinking about that Hershey bar. Should I go back in and get one? No, I shouldn’t eat all that chocolate myself .

I put the groceries in the car, then climbed in and closed the door. I turned the car on and let it idle for a minute, waiting for it to warm up.Lord, I sure wish I could feel Mom close by this Christmas season , I prayed. Let her know I love her and that I hope to see her again someday .

I put my car into gear and looked out the rear view mirror, ready to back out of the parking spot. Something shined brightly from the baby seat on a grocery cart in the spot across from me. Did someone leave their purse? I put the car in park and scanned the lot to see if anyone was around. No one. I walked over to see what was in the cart.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and laughed out loud. There sat a giant Hershey bar, just like the ones Mom and I always shared!

…………………………

So until tomorrow…”Mom…I think I will be leaving a giant Hershey Bar out for “Santa” this year! Enjoy!”

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

*Mollie sent me these precious pictures of Rutledge and Lachlan getting in the Christmas Spirit literally…at least through the wreath! Merry Christmas from the Dingle Duo.