Making It In America

Throughout the new year, may you be blessed with love, joy, success, and freedom.  May the war in Iraq end successfully for both Iraq and the U.S.  May the bail-outs end and businesses learn to take care of themselves.  May the talk show hosts continue to be able about the subjects of their choice and not be silenced.  May the Green movement become rational and not use extremely unnecessary measures like carbon footprints.  May the activists find causes that matter.  May the mints quit printing money and may the dollar gain some of its value again.  So, as the church bells ring in another new year, I have one major desire.  Above all else, may God bless America!

Today a great voice was silenced.  In spite of treatment she was undergoing in New York, Eartha Kitt succumbed to colon cancer, a battle she had been fighting since 2006.  How ironic that she, whose voice I have been hearing over and over again for the past twenty-five days, would die today of all days, Christmas!  After learning of her death, her most famous song was played on the computer.  Her list included cars and mines among many others.  What a shame she did not ask “Santa Baby” to bring good health down her chimney last night.  She will be missed by all who enjoyed her mellow, melodic voice.

J.K. Carpenter had his hand on the pulse of America when he wrote this song. No matter how far away you roam-I have lived all over the United States but always tried to make it “home” for the holidays. Home being where my parents lived. Now my children are spread all over, none of them are able to make it home this year, so I started thinking, maybe it would work next year if we start planning now…the thing was, my first thought was that we could all meet in Colorado…at my mother’s house, “home”. I like to think it is the love we have for our family members that keeps this desire going, keeps the home fires burning. This year my husband and I will be alone, but “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.” Merry Christmas everyone!

When Rome was the “center of the world” it was said that all roads led to Rome.  Today, no matter what else happens, the center of our world is located where the people we care about live.  Be it ever so humble, all roads lead to home.

I remember the year my third daughter was born.  It was December 19 and we decided that she was too little to be with all the relatives; we would stay home.  We loaded our girls in the car and started driving around looking for a place to eat.  Nothing was good enough.  It just wasn’t Christmas.  I was crying because I missed my family.  We turned our car around and drove the hour’s drive to spend Christmas with the people we loved; the baby did just fine.

Long story short, let your family know how important they are to you this holiday season.  If they are far away, send a card and give them a call.  If you can afford to, send them a small gift.  Most of all, just reach out and let them know they are important.  You never know what life will bring, nor do you know the effects our actions may have on the others.  The best thing is, at the end of the day, they’ll know you care.

And, of course, if you can, get on the road and find the one that leads to home!

Sometimes I worry about what is happening in my country. People are becoming so thin-skinned and taking offense over little things, that it can be uncomfortable to talk to strangers. Would you be offended if someone wished you a “Happy Hannakuk” and you were not Jewish? I wouldn’t. I would smile and say “thank you” or maybe “you too” and go on my way. Why do we have to weigh every greeting that comes out of our mouth to check for “possibilities”. I do think we need to be careful of racial slurs and gender slurs and such. But please, don’t be mad when I don’t wish you “Happy Holidays” but instead, wish you a “Very Merry Christmas”.

Every year, about this time, they crawl out of the woodwork. You know who they are! Those people who start complaining about Christmas. No, I don’t mean the atheists. I mean those individuals who say things like, “it’s too commercialized”, “it’s too expensive”, “postage is too high” or, “they start too early with the decorations and the music”. Where do they come from and why can’t they solve their issues?
Okay, too commercialized? Don’t buy into it and celebrate it your way. Make homemade gifts, cookies, and so forth. Don’t take the kids to go see Santa. Do everything the way it was done when Laura Ingles Wilder lived on the little prairie. Hang up your own socks and put oranges in them. Avoid commercialization-you’re in charge of your own celebration.
Now, it’s too expensive? First, I’d like to refer to my previous comment. Second, don’t buy expensive gifts. Get one nice gift for everyone. No one says it have to take hours to open gifts. The tree doesn’t have to be over-ladened with stuff! It may hurt the first year, but the family will get used to it in time.
Then, postage is too high? Give me a break! You can go to the dollar store and buy a box of fifteen cards. Buy fifteen stamps at $.042 each. For $7.40 (including tax), you can have yearly contact with fifteen of your closest friends. For less that $0.60 a piece you can do this, and you say your friends aren’t worth sixty cents? I don’t think postage is the problem!
As for the decorations and songs, ignore them if you aren’t ready for them. For myself, I officially start Christmas season the day after Thanksgiving. I don’t pay attention to anything before then. Try it. Unless you just want to gripe, it works.
Officially (in my book), it is after Thanksgiving, so I’d like to take a moment to say to all, Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Waking up early is not my idea of a good time, but it happens!  This morning we took off and headed for Staples to see if they had any good deals (okay, early for me wasn’t the same as opening for them).  In a matter of minutes we found everything we need.  We stood in line for quite awhile but the line still moved quickly considering the huge number of people there.  Because we hurried so much, we didn’t get a cart.  The man in front of me took the things out of the front of his cart and offered the space for my things quipping, “Now, I won’t pay for them, but you can put them there.”  We had a friendly chat while we slowly made our way to the front via the snake-line we were in.  The conversations around us  were polite, no complaining, no anger.  The help was great and we left the store thinking that Black Friday wasn’t so black after all.  It shone downright brightly!

I love the holidays. They give me time to spend with those I love the most. As I leave to go visit them, I will be stopped a time or two. I will be asked where I am coming from, where I am going and why. I might even be asked if I am carrying any fruit in my car. The scene is like that in the old communism movies only the guys are nicer and they won’t shoot me if I don’t have papers giving me the right to travel. The first time it happened, I was shocked and a little frustrated. Now it is just to be expected. Funny how we deal with change! First we fight it; then we put up with it. Finally, we accept it. They say change is coming to America. I hope it will be as easy to deal with, as it was when I first traveled near a U.S. border.

As the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaches, let’s take time to forget all the political rhetoric and reflect. Everyone having the privilege to live in the United States has much to give thanks for every day. The freedom to right and say what we want, the right to travel at will, the right to worship as we choose. Look around the world-these are not guarantees. They are not even really rights. They are privileges for living in this wonderful country. During these holiday times, I would like to say “thank you” to all the military who are defending us today and who have defended us in the past. So, “Thank you, and God bless.”