By Staff
Well the holiday festivities are already winding down and Christmas isn't even here yet.
The tree lighting in Cassopolis went well and there was plenty of hot chocolate, cookies and donuts.
Our Adopt-a-Family gifts have been collected and wrapped and picked up by volunteers from Lewis Cass Intermediate School District.
We had our annual Leader Publications Christmas Party. Christmas greetings and gifts have been exchanged.
My list of what I still need to buy is done to just a few family members, who would be more than happy just to get gift cards.
Still, I have to ask myself what is the true meaning of Christmas?
I put up a few small trees this year around the house, as the though of managing a large real one seems too much at this stage of my life.
My beautiful wreath I was given a few years ago, I had not taken down because I liked it so much.
My snowmen collection remains packed up until I have more time to set them up.
I really should go through my boxes and boxes of decorations I have collected through the years and divide them up for my children.
I have been wearing Christmas sweaters most every day, getting use out of them before it comes time to pack them away too.
Still, what is Christmas all about?
The other day I got a phone call from Dorothy Clarke.
I hadn't spoken to her for years but she had her daughter try to find me on the Internet.
I met her in Dowagiac when her husband Tim was head of the religious education department at Holy Maternity of Mary Catholic Church.
She was from Kenya, Africa. He was from Kalamazoo. They had two of the most beautiful girls.
Like mine, her marriage too ended in divorce.
It was so good to hear from her and learn about her now young ladies and what they were studying.
That night, I got a long letter from another friend from college. She too had taken the time to find me and try and reconnect.
Sunday, I heard from my brother. Though he is just over the border at the University of Notre Dame, we both fail to take the time to see one another, even just for lunch once in awhile.
It is wonderful to be remembered and know that someone out there cares about you.
I hope over this weekend to sit down and write some long overdue letters to old friends.
I don't think they will mind that they didn't arrive before Dec. 25.
This Christmas I want to think about who is important in my life and let them know I think about them.
Hearing Dorothy talk about how my life was when she knew me years ago, when the children were small, I got back some feelings which have been lacking in my life.
People are what is important. Not all the Christmas cookies in the world, beautifully decorated, can take the place of talking with an old friend.
Maybe I won't write letters, I could instead just run up my phone bill and share memories this Christmas with the ones I love.
Merry Christmas to all.