Sunday, December 16, 2007

I just don't want to let go....

Yesterday was Christmas Card Day... 187 Christmas Cards... as I sat there all day folding, licking, signing, and stamping for over 10 hours.. I wondered why I go through this every year ?

The fact of the matter is I just don't want to let go of some of the relationships/people/and moments I have shared in the past. I can't and I won't As I look at each label it reminds me of my time with that family or that person or that student. There are people who I send Christmas cards to whom I haven't seen in 20 years. One of the housekeeping ladies from St. Francis High School who is long since retired keeps exchanging cards with me. Nellie was a wonderful lady from Lackawanna who worked hard keeping St. Francis High School clean. She was always kind and generous with her warmth. I don't want to forget her. I don't want to forget her smile or her kind words. I don't want to let go of those moments. There are so many Nellies in my life. People I prayed with at an abortion mill in Port St. Lucie, people I studied with in Rome, people I worked with at John Carroll High School in Fort Pierce, people who refused to let me pay for my pizza. People who shared that beautiful ministry with me at Western Connecticut State. So many good people wonderful people.

The crazy thing is I don't know how people get on my Christmas Card list. I think if I have their address I send them a card. Usually that means they sent me one first and I just added their address to my book. This year I finally got "organized" and fixed up my address book in November. When my cards come in I will check everyone's address and make the needed corrections. To be honest it is not even really that important if I get a card in return. I never really keep track of that. Most of the time the only way you get off my list is if your card comes back return to sender....

Nope I don't want to forget and I don't want to let go. I relish the memories of all the good people I have had the priviledge to cross paths with. Each one of them has been a gift and yes their memory is worth 10 hours of licking, stamping, folding and signing.. Worth every bit of it.

My two thoughts on Christmas Cards.

PS... I'm sorry I haven't been writing too much of late. I think I was just too busy going to receptions and parties etc. I also think I just didn't know what to write. Now that I have more time I may subject you with more ramblings.. The homilies will be on hold until the kids come back.


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