Dear Friends,
Once more we would like to begin our Christmas letter on a note of universal hope and peace. Again this is a real challenge. Nevertheless, we do retain a sense of personal hope, peace, and love; perhaps we can do the same on a larger landscape – one in which civility and harmony exist among all peoples of the world. This, after all, is what we really want to celebrate during this holy season: peace on earth to those of good-will. Maybe we can find a host of angels to proclaim it; it’s more doubtful that we would be able to locate three wise-men … or wise-women … to spread the Word. Yet we really do hope!
We now have a fourth great-grandchild, and another on the way. These events certainly give us hope (and joy.) Charlotte Helen was born to Samantha and Jordan in May, to add to the next generational gathering for that month. Brantley, son of Dillon and Carolyn, was the first of that next gen; followed by Claire, Charlie’s older sister; and Elijah, son of Christina and Cristian Araujo. Their parents and grandparents, Ken and Tracey, are surviving well in their expanded roles. Their aunts and uncles (Thomas, Victoria, Olivia, Damien, Joseph and Gabriel) are happy in their roles, too, as well as in all of the schooling and/or work they do both in and out of their home-base.
Christopher has retired from school administration and, to keep busy, has become an insurance claims adjuster for disaster follow-ups with hurricanes Florence (more of a training period) and Michael (a month-long deployment.) Kelly remains as a math teacher, along with their daughter, Kirby, at the same suburban high school. Kennedy, the “other daughter,” has a new position in pediatrics at the Texas Children’s Hospital in the Medical Center.
Over the Christmas holiday, Kirby and Stephen Whitworth will be vacationing in Europe (providing Paris is still available – as well as London and Bruxelles!) Earlier in the year Debbie and Frank had their own vacation in Paris and Venice. For us, our European travels have ended, our passports unrenewed. Foreign journeys will be left to the next generations.
Because of the holiday scheduling for the extended family, we will begin with a Christmas Eve on the 21st with Chris’ family and conclude with St Stephen’s (Boxing Day) with everyone at Ken’s house, since it’s impossible to fit the Camerino-clan into our apartment at Eagle’s Trace, even if our retirement community now exceeds 900 residents. Pat is looking forward to “seeing” our version of the Twelve Days of Christmas, even if his vision will be slightly “wonky.” He had cataract surgery in early December; although he sees quite well far away with his new right eye, the old left one, until mid-January, is useful only for closeups.
During the past year, Pat has continued to be involved with adult religious education both at Eagle’s Trace and Epiphany of the Lord parish. Karen has had to cut back with Cenacle work, since the retreat house and all of its facilities were destroyed by Harvey and physical recovery is not possible; however, she continues with her usual efforts with prayer groups at Eagle’s Trace. Both of us have also found a wonderful, new activity at Eagle’s Trace called “Legacy in Words.” Our group meets twice a month; meanwhile we are writing short essays in the form of “memoirs” to give to the next generations so they know what our life was like in the middle years of the last century!
For us, a major personal event of great joy was the celebration of our 60th wedding anniversary in June. Our three kids gave us a large, fancy jar stuffed with strips of colored-paper, each one bearing a line about memories of their growing up years as they related to us. It was a magnificent gift; the two of us spent a month of breakfasts reading them and recalling our versions of what Deb, Ken and Chris remembered – significant events they recalled but we had forgotten. It was truly the best gift we could have received.
And so it is: the best parts of the years, both the most recent and all those which have gone before, are the memories of family life and the hopes that the days ahead will be as fulfilling for each one of us (and you) as they have been in the past. May you have a blessed Christmas.
Stop, Look and Listen
“Stop, look and listen.” As children we were told to do these three things before crossing the street. I wonder if we do any of them as well today.
Stop. In our busy lives, we barely pause to take a breath, to eat a meal, to gather our thoughts, to ponder.
Look. So many eyes are turned downward to a phone or laptop. We seldom take the time to marvel at the beauty of nature around us or to gaze deeply at the people we love.
Listen. Do we truly listen – to nature – to music – to the person sitting across from us – to the sound of God’s voice?
Christmas is a time to stop, look and listen.
Take a moment to stop, letting life’s turmoil move on without you. Be present in the moment of stillness.
Take a moment to look intently around you, taking in the beauty which is always there but seldom seen.
Take a moment to listen to song, to scripture, to wisdom, to love spoken and shared.
If we take these moments, we will find ourselves quiet and prepared to embrace the wonder of a child, a manger, angels and shepherds, magi and awestruck parents.
Take the time to stop, look and listen to Christmas this year. I hope to do the same.
Karen Camerino, 2018