JaxPolitix

POST 1244

A long time ago, yet not seeming to be so long past, Marilyn and I married. Without planning to do so, we began traditions of our own, not quite like hers and not quite like mine.

Our children, grandchildren and more gather every year and one thing we do is to plan a family philanthropy project. That, of course, is an opportunity to reach beyond ourselves and be of service to others, as well as being a good and fundamental teaching for the young ‘uns and even a good reminder for the old ‘uns.

And we do a holiday talent show, with everyone getting their very own time to shine, 3 minutes to entertain us all with dancing, singing, a magic trick, showing a complex, hands-on project – whatever each of us chooses to show and tell. It’s great fun, with lots of laughs and high energy applause and cheering.

This year a grandson sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and I heard the song in a way that was different and far more valuable than before. Here’s the lyric that changed things for me:

Through the years
We all will be together
If the fates allow

But the fates don’t always allow. They may for a while, but they likely will have things in store for us that we cannot or will not see, until at last we can no longer avoid the reality that we will not always be together. We are left to deal with the absences.

All religions have their holy things, their holy rituals, their holy incantations and their divines. But this year our grandson led me to something holy that might have been obvious long ago, but I got it clearly and in full measure just now.

To me what is most valuable, most enduring to the heart and most dear and holy is my family, together. That’s holy.

And so I wish you not just a happy new year, but a holy one, wherever you find holy, perhaps with your dear ones, whether they are near or far.

Goes fast, doesn’t it?

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