Jim and I both live in Texas, and our kids and grandkids all live out east now, so this year, each family is celebrating at their own house. But that’s never stopped me from putting up all the stockings. Each special member of our family may be far away distance-wise, but they are never forgotten. I love the way all those stockings look on our mantle and the first thing I do when decorating our home is to hang those stockings up. Belonging is such an important part of life that I’m devoting this newsletter to chat about that.
The family in this portrait is obviously not ours, but as I look at the matching pajamas, a fond childhood memory comes to mind.
When was young, I ended up bouncing between foster homes; one per year. In 1957, I came to live with the Roseland family. I had been there for several years when Elaine Roseland (my foster mother) presented every family member with a package on Christmas Eve. We were told to open the package in private in separate bedrooms and then join the entire family in front of the Christmas tree.
Truth be told, I wasn’t all that excited since I was old enough to realize that those rectangular boxes each of us received looked like a box you received clothing in. Ugh. A kid’s worst nightmare. We did as instructed and when we all emerged from our separate rooms and gathered about the beautiful Scotch Pine Christmas tree with colorful lights hanging from the branches, all of us wore matching pajamas.
It was an emotional moment for me because as we all stood there, this was the first time I truly felt like a member of a family. Those pajamas became a metaphor for being a part of something wonderful, and in my case, permanent. That’s probably my very favorite childhood memory; one which I wrote in my memoir, Take Three.
I’ve been reading quite a few women’s fiction books lately and am intrigued by book characters who are middle-aged females. They’re often women who reconnect with friends after decades of not seeing one another. And what they all seem to have in common is that they were often left out of groups when they were younger (cliques might be a better word choice here) and feel as though they missed something special. Many still bear the scars of rejection.
Belonging is such an important part of life, and at this particular juncture, our country is truly divided in so many ways; wealth, religion, skin color, education levels; the list is endless. As I age, I am drawn to folks my age, but as I write this, I’m aware that the best gift we can give ourselves is the gift of mentoring younger people. Young people, in turn, give joy to senior citizens when they listen to our stories, and respond to the journeys we have taken.
About fifty years ago when my husband’s Grandpa Baird was in the throes of aging and not in the best of health, some men from The Chamber of Commerce (something Grandpa Baird was active in) visited him. I remember how hungry for conversation he was and recall that the men who came to deliver him a fruit basket, pretty much took off once their chore was finished. I’ve never forgotten that and hope this is not typical of those doing visitation.
A Role Model - My Amazing Aunt Pauline Bondy!
This is a picture of my ninety-six-year-old Aunt Pauline who lives in Grand Forks, ND. Pauline is incredibly active and as sharp as a tack, as the cliché goes. Her minister sometimes asks her to write articles for their church newsletter. Pauline has tons of friends who play cards with her and drop by for coffee. The younger version of herself led her sons' cub scout packs. She’s published her memoir about growing up during the Great Depression and was instrumental in encouraging me to write my own memoir.
I encourage all of you to be proactive in seeking out new opportunities that perhaps you haven’t thought of before. And as involved as many of you are in your churches, I caution you not to limit yourselves to only religious opportunities. Like many organizations, churches can become cliques and that defeats the purpose of organized religion.
Next month’s newsletter will feature a book cover for my newest women’s fiction novel, Forgotten Dreams. It’s really a follow up to Faded Dreams and follows Bethany Harrington’s struggle with divorce, being forced back into the workplace, as well as battling breast cancer. In this book, Bethany must find a new village of people to help her navigate the many challenges she’s facing. It will be released just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I wish you all the merriest Christmas, or whatever it is you celebrate. Holidays are wonderful because they often bring friends and family together.
If you're looking for a stocking stuffer for that individual who is difficult to shop for, please consider purchasing one of my Christmas books. They make for a fun read. Just ask my good friend, Jane Ritter! She'll vouch for that.
Looking forward to seeing you in 2025!
Gay Ann Kiser
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