CHRISTMAS LETTER

We spend our whole lives making comparisons. Was that the best job I ever had? The best vacation I ever took? The best dinner I ever ate, or the best Christmas ever? As long as we have a memory we will continue to draw an analogy between the past and the present. As an old man my memories are full of moms and dads, uncles, aunts, grandparents, a spouse, kids and friends who once sat around my Christmas tree but now are gone. All of them special in there own way. But today as I contemplate all of this, and as fond as those memories are, I realize the only Christmas that is important to me this year, is the one coming up and the only way to reap the benefits is to get involved. If there is one thing the holidays seem to bring out in people. It is, we quit thinking about ourselves and think of others and how we can brighten their Christmas holiday. I once knew of an old man who had lost his spouse and that first Christmas without her, he told his family that he would not be available for Christmas Eve. He would see them the next day. He was not a rich man but that Christmas Eve, without telling anyone else; he went to his bank and withdrew 500 dollars in 10-dollar bills. Then alone, he went to the local homeless shelter or mission that night and handed each person a bill and wished him or her a Merry Christmas. He didn’t tell them not to spend it on alcohol or other bad things. He simply said “Merry Christmas.” The next day at Christmas dinner when his family asked where he was last night. He smiled and simply said, “It was the best Christmas Eve ever.” I think of all of the lonely people who have nothing but their memories to cling to at Christmas and it makes me sad. It’s this sad part of the holidays, that some are able to push to the back of their minds but not me. In a way, I envy those who can. At the start of this I talked about making comparisons. How about the difference between giving and receiving? How do we become humble in our giving and yet grateful in receiving? You don’t have to be old to experience this. I remember a Christmas when one of my kids gave me a plaster cast of their little hand they had made in school. As I opened the gift I asked my wife out loud, what is this? Before she could answer I saw my child’s face go from glee to sadness. They had made something especially for me for Christmas and all I could say was-- what is this? I tried to make light of it but the damage was done. Oh how I wish I had that plaster cast today to sit on my desk. To see that little handprint, that is today, fifty some years old and wrinkled with age. Pat and I, after six years together, will be spending our first Christmas Day alone together and away from our families. It will be different for both of us but yet we take solace in the fact that we have each other and at least speaking for me, I can’t ask for any more than that. We have no plans for elaborate gifts for each other. Our companionship and our love for each other is our gift. At our age, giving can be as simple as a hug and a smile. It speaks volumes and you can’t buy it on line.