NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Every year at this time, I reluctantly and disconcertingly think about New Year's Resolutions that I never keep. For, who's list does not include something to do with food? Either we are going on an out-and-out diet, eating only certain foods over others, getting more exercise or in some way or another, losing weight. And just like my Lenten resolutions growing up Catholic, I seldom made it to the "finish line," especially if it involved giving up candy! SO, this year, I am making a new kind of resolution list that I think I can stick to, and one which will, I hope, be a WIN-WIN, reasonable and even enjoyable. Here is my list, not necessarily in order of importance. What's on your list this year?

1. Go out some nights and look up in wonder at the sky.
2. Go for more walks in the woods.
3. Plant a tree
4. Smile more, especially at people who look as unhappy as I sometimes feel.
5. Make new recipes
6. Buy and cook more locally grown food.
7. Drink tea in the afternoon.
8. Keep the bird-feeders full.
9. Write more letters to my grandchildren
10. Be silly more/ laugh more.
11. Sing more, even if people are around.
12. Have some quiet, meditative time each day.
13. Make more nutritious home-made soups.
14. Spend more time at book stores and libraries.
15. Think of three things each day to be grateful for....

Elves at Christmas

Recently we went to visit our grandchildren and while there,  experienced the joy and excitement the days before Christmas bring. I remember these days as a child, and can still recall the butterflies in my stomach as Santa's visit drew closer.
Today, our grandchildren, in the days before Christmas, enjoy the fun and antics of two special elves who showed up just after Thanksgiving, and have delighted the children with their nightly activities. It is the magic of the North Pole snowflakes sprinkled on themselves each evening which makes them come alive, go on nightly adventures, cause mischief throughout the house and hide for the "grands" to find them in the morning. Some work for the parents, but great delight for the kids!
Elves which first came to be known in Germanic and Scandinavian folklore continue to be mysterious with wonderful supernatural powers. They do lots of good things as well as cause mischief! One thing I like about elves is that they love nature, and dwell in forests, wooded areas and leaf-filled trees. Even Santa's elves are said to head south after Christmas to live in the warm, southern forests until they are called back by Santa to the North Pole. They love the springtime when they celebrate the first blooms and enjoy swimming in lakes and running rivers. Elves have exceptional endurance and as they grow older (some live to be 1,000 yrs.), they become stronger and wiser. (Nice!)
Are elves real? Well now, I don't know. Is Santa real? I put these two questions in the same category. And, all you have to do to answer the Santa question is read the book, "Is There A Santa Claus;" the story of eight year old, Virginia O'Hanlon, who was beginning to doubt, and wrote to the New York Times for the answer. If you do not know the New York Times's answer, it is a book worth finding and reading!
It seems to me that elves can be like angels (do you believe in angels?) in our lives; that we, ourselves, can be elves and angels in each other's lives; not just at Christmas time, but all year long.

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

It's that wonderful time of year again, and I am walking down memory lane with all these pictures now displayed on my refrigerator. I love to think about my own Christmases as a child at this time of year; always happy and exciting with my six brothers and sisters in Cincinnati, Ohio. My memories include the time when I was very little, and both my  brothers and I were in the hospital through Christmas with Scarlet Fever, and how Mom and Dad had Christmas for us after we were home, presents, trimmed tree and all. I remember putting out food for Santa's reindeer, the Jingle Bells that my parents rang late at night to suggest that Santa was near and all children should be asleep in their beds. On Christmas morning, I remember all of us waiting impatiently for Mother and Dad to get up so that we could go in line from youngest to oldest down the steps singing Jingle Bells into the Living Room to see what Santa had brought. I remember the year that we all got bikes; the year that we all got ice skates; the year that the girls all got beautiful dolls. I remember the only year that we were allowed to open our gifts on Christmas Eve because my mother was about to deliver our youngest sister, Christine Helen, who came on Christmas morning. Always exciting "stuff" going on at our house on Forest Hill Drive! Most Christmases, our large family of children put on Christmas plays for us, put together, costumes and all, after they had eaten, and while the adults enjoyed their Christmas dinner.  My memories also include the fun and traditions of my own family and the joy my husband Mike and I had watching our own two little girls open their presents from Santa. One Christmas in Colorado was particularly memorable with a snowstorm that would not allow anyone out of their driveway. We had great friends there, and all Christmas Day we had parties on our front porches all up and down the street, some people getting around on skies. One Christmas we went to New Orleans, where my sister lived. That year we enjoyed the sunshine of the south, and the interesting traditions of the people of New Orleans including burning wood-built structures to burn and light the path of Pere Noel along the Mississippi River. As you can see from the pictures above, we have had many Christmases with our large, extended families which is the best gift of all; to be with, and celebrate this special time with the ones you love the most. One of my fondest thoughts for this season came one year via a poem written by a good friend, then in her 80ies and I will add it here. It is called, "WINTER GARDEN"

WINTER GARDEN

Yes we can have roses in December

Someone has said (I can't remember who?)

Because God gave us memories,

And it is true

Kaleidoscopic pictures turn

Behind closed eyelids, sunsets burn

Of many summers gone.

And tawny woods of autumns sped

Still swirl the leaves inside my head,

Still make my eyes and nostrils sting

With perfume of burnt offering.

The vernal fires of greening trees

Ignite the songs of chickadees,

And lo! The robins and the cardinals come!

No longer, nature stricken dumb

In crystal caves of ice and snow

Indeed, the winter roes grow!

In hearts like mine that are contrary

The monarchs fly in January!

And all bright loves and friendships shine

That once were ever yours and mine.

SARA BUSH

Wise Women

Friday night in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, I had the entertaining privilege of being one of the three wise women in the living window display at Cross Roads, a Fair-Trade Shop where I volunteer, and am on the Board of Directors. I love the humor in a piece that was sent to me long ago that says, if the three wise kings who came to the manager had been women, they would have asked for directions, gotten there on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stall and would have brought practical gifts. So what is this thing called wisdom, and how do we get it. Well, the most wise person I have known in my life is my father and so I will try to describe what I think wisdom looks like modeled after him. First comes humility. My dad was a very humble guy, often in the lime-light because of his brilliance, but never wanting the lights to shine on him. He was willing to impart his knowledge to all who needed it, but only saw himself as a fellow-traveler with his own flaws. He was never one who knew everything or thought he had all the answers. Secondly, I will mention "listening." My dad was a great listener; he did not take sides nor did he judge you for your thoughts or actions. Mistakes were for learning, and the gathering of wisdom. Dad listened to everyone from the tallest to the smallest; from the judge in a courtroom to my four year old daughter showing the same amount of interest. He was  singularly focused and made everyone think that what they were saying was the most important thing, and at the moment, it was. Dad knew that there were things to be learned from "important" people with money as well as those who were poor and without power. He knew that he could learn from children as well as adults. My dad listened to the stories of the kitchen help, the waiters, the sales-clerks, the maids, the garbage men as well as teachers, professors, professionals and CEOs. And in his encouragement of these people, he came to understand life better. He had many different perspectives that contributed to his growing wisdom. Next, I will mention, "suffering." My dad was a deep thinker, and was often pained by the unfairness of life he saw all around him, and often did things to help make people's lives better. So, my dad was keenly aware of the suffering of others, but my Dad suffered also with his own demons and problems , and through that suffering, came to appreciate himself, and all human being as flawed but worthy....most often doing the best that we could each day. There are many qualities that contributed to my Dad's wisdom but the final one I wish to mention is Love. Dad demonstrated his love in the many behaviors of his everyday life. When a poor "off-the-street" man came to see my father at his prestigious law-firm, my Dad welcomed him as he would any client, listened to him, and then took on his cause of saving an Alcoholic Drop-In Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. When the good people of a neighborhood in Cincinnati would not allow a six-person home for mentally challenged adults to be in their midst, Dad took the case to the Ohio Supreme Court and won. The House was named "The Conlan House" after my Dad who found this out minutes before he died. He would not have cared about this honor as much as he cared about the people who could now live there. No problem was too big or small for my Dad, and there were so many times that he helped his seven children, and showed his love to them. I remember one Thursday afternoon at Marquette University in Milwaukee (a long trek from Cincinnati) where my sister was entered into an elocution contest. Right before Maureen spoke, my Dad walked in the room having flown by airplane to hear her speech. Now that is Love! I would like to think that, as I age, I am also learning and gathering wisdom. I am lucky. I had a wonderful role model who gave me some of the tools I needed. I don't always act wise, but I am always striving for the wise approach to my life which my Dad taught me through living his own life.