ND SO, IT GOES

This last holiday season was the most anticipated Christmas ever. Since my kids are all older now, Santa has pretty much retired in my book too. Then I find out that La Principessa was coming to town, and once again, so was Santa.

The most beautiful and wanted gift came not from Santa but from Darby Shea my beautiful granddaughter, who fills my heart like it never was before. This little princess in her first 3 and a half years is learning on the go, she is joyous, filled with boundless energy and so filled with love it is amazing. She is true: JOY TO THE WORLD!

I have a daughter with disabilities. She is loving but in her 40's, she can scare little children. Her brother explained to their child, little Darby Shea that Ellen was different, that she had this terrible affliction. This little girl climbed the couch where my daughter Ellen was sitting and offered her blanket. My daughter smiled and La Principessa smiled back! They bonded.

Throughout the week, they spent with me and my wife, was truly remarkable, every family should have this, all of us on Christmas day were together for the first time that I can remember!  Not only that we hosted two people for Christmas dinner who were without family on Christmas day, filling my table with the best aspects of the Christmas spirit.

The highlight of the week came Christmas morning, I was going to be a grandfather once again, this time a boy! This has me very high right now, this is life and a growing family for me. How happy I am now, how very pleased I am.

To round off this incredible week, we had a dinner party for friends from the old neighborhood, people we had lost touch with. By simply sending out a Christmas card, I got back ten-fold. One day I receive this call from one of the best neighbors we ever had, from our old neighborhood thanking me for the card. I invited her and her son and another neighbor who since I last saw him had lost his eyesight! HE was the life of the party!

Funny how things go, for years I wished I could have just one Christmas day like Dad used to experience every year, and for one Christmas day, I did. Somehow I think it is a gift from my Dad.