The Current has lost a dear member of our team — friend and columnist Christine McCarriston. McCarriston died Jan. 8 after a brave and relentlessly positive battle with cancer.
Warm, smart and encouraging, McCarriston loved being in journalism and served as editor of the Lynn Sunday Post back in the day. More recently, she shared her thoughts on life, love, family and more in her popular columns. Below is one of our favorites, from Sept. 18, 2024. You can find McCarriston’s obituary HERE.
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Today as I was cleaning out my fridge, I stopped at the Post-it that reads: “Life’s a climb, but the view is great.” I couldn’t stop smiling and thinking about how this simple sentence rings so very true. Yes, you read that right; we have Post-it messages in our fridge. Some have been there for years and we keep adding more.
Our fridge notes started in 2016 when my oldest daughter Shanna wrote to her sister one day: “Love you more than Ben loves Lauren B,” referencing “The Bachelor Season 20.” I thought it was a silly and adorable testament to their loving bond, so I taped it to the fridge cold cut drawer. At the time I figured it would make me smile seeing it each day. Eight years later it is still there bringing me joy.
“Life’s a climb but the view is great” was a standout quote for my family from the Hannah Montana movie. My daughter, Jenna, used the quote as part of a school assignment in fourth grade. It was the perfect ending to her essay and has become one of our family’s often-repeated statements.
Although I see that Post-it (and several others) daily as I open the fridge, this time it struck me differently. Lately our family can relate to the idea that life is a climb, and not an easy one. There have been some health issues for a few of us and my best friend’s mother died recently. She lived a beautiful 93-year life, but the sadness of losing someone you’ve known for over 40 years, the sadness you feel for your friend losing her mom doesn’t change because she lived a long life. But in keeping with Hannah and Jenna’s line, even in sadness and tough times, the view is great if you’re willing and able to see it.
In that view, I see Lynda’s mother Gloria at her last birthday celebration. Gloria was friends with my mom and her twin, my late Aunt Joni. Lynda’s children and my girls have been lifelong friends, making it three generations of fun, love and memories. How lucky are we? We spent that birthday afternoon retelling stories of those three generations. Gloria died five days later. I am so grateful I attended that party and spent quality time with the woman who gave me my best friend.
Looking at my life’s view simply through my fridge Post-its, I find more gems. In keeping with the Bachelor/Bachelorette theme, Shanna didn’t leave me out: “Mum, Love you more than Jojo loves the guy she’ll pick on the Bachelorette.” We do love a theme in my family. I answered the love back with a yellow Post-it reading “Love Y’all.” That one reminds me of my family in South Carolina and my sister’s idea that we should “bring back y’all” so, of course, for my sister I continue to use y’all whenever I can.
Shanna let Jenna stay at her condo a bit ago when she was away and left her keys with a note saying: “The keys to my heart. Enjoy.” Seemed fridge-worthy so it’s lived on the side wall for a couple of years.
I have been known to use more Post-its than the average person. It’s kind of my thing to leave notes of cheer and encouragement for my family and my girls’ friends. Shanna’s friend, Cassie, was the recipient of so many notes from me over the years that she created a diary notebook with pictures of some of her favorites on the cover as a gift for me. Along with a package of Post-its, of course. I cherish that notebook. I used those little squares from Cassie to write notes to the next generation of Delaney and her siblings whom Shanna used to babysit. Like Cassie, Delaney has been saving a lot of them and even gave me one: “Love you” she wrote. Yes, that one made it to the fridge on the inside door.
You may not be surprised to hear that I also tape photos and cards on the inside of my cabinets. Need a glass? You’ll see Jenna and Shanna on various vacations along with some of our family Christmas cards. Another simple way to make us smile and remember our happiest times on a daily basis.
All these fridge notes may seem strange, but there is something about opening your refrigerator and being able to relive some joyful times while also being reminded of the love your family and friends have for you and each other every single day. It’s the simple way to see the great view of life’s climb.
