Loving Your Family

Newtown: A Priest’s Tears

December 18th, 2012
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Monsignor Robert Weiss
I always think of priests as people who have heard and seen it all.
After years of listening to thousands of people confess their sins (large and small), and executing innumerable weddings, funerals and baptisms, I can’t imagine that priests are surprised by anything anybody does.  I’m sure their deep faith gives them hope and optimism about human behavior but there probably isn’t anything new under the sun for them.
Until I read about Monsignor Robert Weiss.

Weiss is a priest at St. Rose of Lima parish in Newtown, CT and he horribly lost more than 10 … Read More

Sentimental Christmas Stockings

December 13th, 2012
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Stockings Belonging to Daddy, Mommy & R ” . . . And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care;  In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. . .”From “Twas The Night Before Christmas” By Clement Clarke Moore These  are our sentimental Christmas stockings, hung on our fireplace every year, in hopes that Santa Claus will think we have been good and fill them with lots of treats. I know they are a bit on the tacky side but they represent a lot of good feelings and great memories. They don’t match each other or the living… Read More

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 22nd, 2012
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Today is a day Americans set aside to gather with family, friends or both, bow our heads and give thanks for the blessings God has given us. It is wonderful to have the day off from work and I am busy this morning making my part of the Thanksgiving dinner: homemade mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.  Because these two dishes are so important to the classic Thanksgiving dinner, I take a lot of care in preparing them and enjoy watching people gobble them up. I started making homemade cranberry sauce years ago after I was served this particular cranberry sauce… Read More

A Cartful of Gratitude

November 19th, 2012
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Photo Courtesy of Williams Sonoma Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you and to give thanks continuously.  And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Just like most Americans, I went to the grocery store this weekend to buy food to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner. The store was crowded and the shelves were stocked with all of the things that I buy at this particular time of year: pumpkin, cream cheese, spices, nuts and cranberries.  Depending on the aisle I… Read More

Homeless During A Hurricane

October 31st, 2012
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Jose Andres Jose Andres is an internationally recognized celebrity chef who owns and operates several restaurants in the Washington, DC metropolitan area: Jaleo, Zaytinya and Oyamel.  It doesn’t matter which one you choose, all of them serve delicious and innovative menus.  Personally, I love Oyamel and my son loves Jaleo. Andres, born in Spain, is a busy, busy guy running his critically acclaimed and commercially successful business ventures but he also cares about his community and finds time to give back. This weekend, as news reports forecast the arrival of Hurricane Sandy’s on the East Coast, Andres rolled up his… Read More

Baby Angels

October 19th, 2012
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I have written previously about angels and particularly about a book my aunt gave me titled, Angel Letters,” by Sophy Burnham.  From time to time, I read this book because I find it comforting and it puts life into perspective for me. There are a number of stories that I tend to re-read when I am stressed or confused about life and this short story is one in particular that always takes my breath away: In April 1990 Sophy Burnham was being interviewed about her book on WOR-Radio in New York.  She was being interviewed by Gil Gross and as… Read More

Pizza With The President

October 15th, 2012
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President Barack Obama delivers pizzas to my son (on the phone) and other hardworking field organizers Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, getting a chance to meet the President of the United States is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Yesterday my son and I were part of  an amazing event and it still feels surreal. We were in Gloucester, VA going door-to-door to get out the vote for the Obama campaign when my son, who is a field organizer, received a call to quickly come to Williamsburg.  We knew President Obama was in Williamsburg preparing for Tuesday’s debate with Republican… Read More

A Grandfather’s Last Letter

October 2nd, 2012
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Grandfathers and Grandchildren Learn From Each Other Many people have good intentions when it comes to writing down their thoughts and feelings about their loved ones.  But then, unfortunately, something happens and they never get to it.  Letting those who are special to you know exactly how you feel about them on paper (in a positive way) is an incredible gift.  Without such a note or letter you are left to either guess at how the person felt about you or you can go on your memory, which depending on your age, could be fuzzy. Now along comes James K.… Read More

Offering Hope

October 1st, 2012
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My family currently has a number of medical situations happening and this past weekend was spent checking in with various people to see what I could do to help the caregivers.  Each situation is stressful for different reasons and the caregivers are doing fantastic jobs but they can’t do it all by themselves. I think I’ve mentioned this in previous posts but I think it’s important to say it again:  listening is a gift. When others come to us with their pain or their joy, I think it is a time for us to show them respect by quietly sitting,… Read More