While preparing this quipple to post, I couldn’t help but reflect on a touching story from the other day as beloved niece of T & K and granddaughter of J helped our trio decorate for Christmas. She would carefully unwrap each ornament, examine both it and the tree with her artistic eye, and delicately hang it on its selected perch. This process ground to a halt, though, when she unwrapped one ornament – a ceramic bear, gifted to us long ago by beloved aunt of T & K and sister of J (Hi, Bonnie!) – and discovered a hole above the little bear’s eye. The damage happened years ago, in some way none of us can remember. She softly whispered to the little bear that she would still love him even though he was broken, and would find him a special spot. (Her daddy calls her Tender Heart Bear for good reason!) But as she prepared to hang up this special bear, her little heart seemed to break and she started to sob. She seemed to sense that there is something devastating in brokenness among something so innocent. After some TLC from Auntie T, she gently gave the bear a kiss and decided to place him safely on a table in a special display, to protect him from further damage.

There is indeed beauty in imperfection. The damage to the ornament wasn’t enough to keep it from our collection year after year, and now that damage will make the bear even more special to us as reminder of the sweet, tender, and loving gift that little K is to all of our lives. Join us in celebrating the imperfect beauty in your lives this season, especially in decorative displays and other efforts made by loving little hands.