Christmas Day when Katarina was 5 years old. Not her earliest memory, but one of her strongest.
She woke up at 6:00 AM that Wednesday. It was before she had school, so she wasn't on break. So she had no care in the world, except "What'd Santa bring ,e!?"
She rushed down the winding staircase of her parent's mansion, halfway tumbling down them instead of running. ONce she got to the bottom, she looked up to see her parents sitting on the couch waiting for her.
She smiled. Then she looked over to where the Christmas tree stodd. The lights were shining, marching band playing music on the limbs, the garland hung so perfectly. She was taken back by just the beauty of the tree. But, then, she saw her presents!
There were fat ones, big ones, skinny ones, little ones, shiny ones, patterned ones. All shapes, colors, sizes, and with an assortment of bows on the top. The room was almost taken over with her presents.
She opened every one, slowly and carefully, until they were all opened. She had gotten everything she aske dfor and more. But, when she began to play withthem her mother said, "Katie. There's one more. From mommy and daddy."
It was the smallest package yet and she couldnt imagine what it was. She opened that one just as carefully as her others. And when she opened the box, there was a shiny silver band tat said "
I love you" on it. Her first ring.
The rest of the day was a blur. Just eating, playing and watching movies. But she never forgot the ring she got last, or any of the presents for that matter.
She kept the ring until her current day. Having it resized every year. Her pirzed possession. Her prized memory.
