Christmas time can mean many things to many people. I remember a moment from my childhood forever linked to a wondrous machine that lived in my grandmother’s living room. The design was simple cast iron and wood wrapped and twined together for a purpose.

While my grandmother was not the only person to have a Singer sewing machine, hers was special to me. I loved studying the mechanisms. I wanted to understand the why and how of what made the sewing machine work. How could anyone push cloth and thread into the beautiful garments my mother told me were produced by grandmama?

That sewing machine was also one of the ways I pushed boundaries from a young age. The rule was that no child was allowed to touch the machine, especially not the metal pedal and wheel. While I totally got that the rule was there for our safety, that wheel of delight was entirely too tempting for me to resist. In fact, I was the ring leader who appointed the lookouts to watch for grownups bent on ruining our fun. We organized turns on the contraption oblivious to the fact that the squeaky wheel noise gave us away every time and guaranteed that I was likely to get a spanking for breaking the rules AND for leading my other cousins down the path of wrongdoing.

Sometimes breaking the rules can result in fond and lasting memories that make you smile when you get older. Like when I looked up this Christmas over 25 years in the future and saw another Singer sewing machine on the other side of the country from where my memories were made.

Merry Christmas one and all. Remember to focus on what is truly important and appreciate the special moments with your family and loved ones. Make memories that last and try to stay outta trouble if you can.

Marta C. Youngblood is a writer, education and social entrepreneur based in Lubbock, Texas. For more information on her current projects visit https://about.me/MCyoungblood.