So 2017 is in the bag, and 2018 has started. It has been quite the year for us in the Andrews household. Heather started the school year with a new teaching assignment. She teaches kindergarten in the morning and music in the afternoon. It keeps her very busy but she is enjoying it. She gets to work with all the students in her school and has had some great experiences. My favorite was when she coordinated a Ghostbusters flash mob with the entire school without the rest of the staff knowing about it. It has really exercised her creativity. She also was called as the Primary President in our ward, and is using her talents to help all the children of the ward.
Barbara started kindergarten this fall. We spent a lot of time researching which school to send her before deciding on FFCA. I'm excited about the prospects of having her in my high school eventually. Barbara was super excited to be in school. She loves her teacher, Mrs. Lin, and is friends with all of her classmates. She also gets a kick out of her principal, Mr. Lowther. She talks about him so much that Hope is starting to talk about wanting him as a principal. Barbara started reading before school started, and has also begun piano lessons. She is learning lots and we are seeing remarkable improvement in things such as her penmanship and coloring.
Hope is still working on potty training. She has the day time figured out, but is still needing the pull-ups for nighttime. She has developed quite the dominant attitude and is proving to be a force to be reckoned with. She loves to laugh and giggle and wants to do everything her big sister does. She has also started to plink away at the piano on her own. Sometimes it amazes me how well she is able to figure out music on her own. Once in a while we mistake her experimentation with Barbara practicing. She finished off her time in nursery this year and is looking forward to being a Sunbeam in Primary next year.
My brother Kevin, who has been living with us for close to two years, started a new job at Canadian Tire. It has been a really good having him here. Dayton continues his studies at Mount Royal and even had an internship at World Health, where I go to for my workouts. Dustin and Andrew moved to Edmonton, and Dustin was able to find a design job at a home builders. It is exactly what he wants to do and he is enjoying the new location.
As for myself, it has been interesting for me this year. I finished the 2016-17 school year on a bit of a down note. Without going into too much detail, I was getting frustrated at work, to the point where I began to doubt myself a lot. I started the new school year with a goal to reclaim the passion that I had lost. I took a deep and honest inventory of where I was at and started to refocus my energies. It worked out for the better, mostly. Still not where I want to be, but I am in a much better place then before. A large part of this was due to a colleague who moved into the room across from me. She has helped me as a sounding board and pointed out some perspectives for me. I also took on a student teacher that I will have throughout much of the entire school year. Not only is she the best student teacher I have ever seen, our personalities have so much in common that she quickly became a good friend. It has been one of the most rewarding professional relationships I have had and has been a big part in my feeling revitalized as a teacher.
In church I received a new calling. Back in the spring I was called as the Gospel Doctrine teacher in my ward. I felt I had some pretty big shoes to fill (our previous teacher had been a general authority before this calling), but it has been a great and inspirational blessing for me. I have found a lot of joy in serving the ward in this capacity. Temple attendance continues to be a big focus in my life, and I was able to add the Toronto temple on my list of temples that I have done work in this summer. Yup, the big adventure this year was loading up the family on Canada Day and driving to Toronto to visit the in-laws on their mission for a week. We saw the Toronto Zoo, Ripley's Aquarium, and Niagara Falls. It was quite the event for us.
So, as I look forward to 2018, I feel ready to see what the year will bring. I hope there will be more laughs, more fun, and less Trump. Well, the first two are likely I guess. Here's the Top 10 list in review.
10. Movie Event of the Year - Hard to pick just one, but I will say that for many of my franchises I follow it has been great. Enjoyed Kong: Skull Island, which might be a promising franchise in itself. Thor: Ragnorok, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 were all great additions to the MCU. DC had two great films with Justice League and Wonder Woman. And, of course, there was Episode VIII in the Star Wars saga, which I was absolutely thrilled by. Can't pick just one, so I will say the "event" was the franchise fun as a whole.
9. Music Event of the Year - Hands down it was Garth Brooks. As I blogged about earlier, we had the chance to see him perform in Calgary. Even though our seats were behind the stage and way up at the top, they felt like the best seats in the house. It was great to see the Legend that is Garth Brooks live.
8. So Proud Moment of the Year - This goes to my Dad, who seems to show no signs of slowing down in his seventies. He has really gotten involved in his community this year, including a run for town council, establishing a Highway of Heroes tribute, and managing not one but two concerts for Alix. He was able to bring in the Arrogant Worms in March (which we went to) and George Canyon in November (which we were not able to attend, sadly).
7. Milestone of the Year - I think for this one it's Barbara's first day of school. Heather was able to take her to the first day of classes, while I took her to her first school bus ride the next day. I took a photo of her running on to the bus with a "Bye Dad" sort of moment.
6. Reconnect of the Year - Went to Waterton National Park in May. It's been close to a decade since I last went, and it brought back a lot of great memories from my childhood. Quite enjoyed the time spent there just walking the town site. It was very unfortunate that the park was hit with the wildfires, but glad that the town was mostly left intact.
5. Adventure of the Year - The Toronto trip, no question. We had portable DVD players and headphones for the girls and then hit the road. It was a lot of fun, seeing things we had never seen before, and enjoyed almost every aspect of it. On the way back we stayed an extra night in the Chicago area and went to the Brookfield Zoo, which was excellent.
4. Professional Experience of the Year - That would have to be mentoring Hayley Jonason this last semester. As I already mentioned, she is the best I have seen. She could have her own classroom right now without much worry.
3. First-Time of the Year - Took the girls to Calaway Park for the first time this summer. We had a lot of fun. Hope loved being on rides that only she could be on. Barbara shouted out on so many times that it was the best day and place ever. It was so much fun we bought season passes for next year.
2. Spiritual Event of the Year - Doing sealings at the temple this year was just as special as before. We had two great sessions of it, and it was neat receiving some insight from the other side about how things were going.
1. Family Event of the Year - This was tough to choose for me, but I think I have to go with baptizing my nephew Austin a few weeks ago. It was a great and special experience for me, and it was an honor to perform this ordinance for him and his family.
I hope you all have a wonderful 2018, full of joy, happiness, and blessings.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Monday, January 23, 2017
I'm Not Supposed to Be Here
The place: Hamburg Germany. The time, the middle of the Second World War. A man, Heinrich Hassforther, was at work in his government office. One of his responsibilities was to process lists of people. Sometimes those lists were suspected enemies of the Nazi state. Reasons for being on this list are many. It may have been hiding a Jewish family, or even befriending one. It might have been for listening to the BBC on the radio. If you had said something that could be considered anything less than full devotion to the Fuhrer, your neighbors could report you and you could find yourself on this list. Again and again the lists would come across Heinrich's desk. He would drink his coffee, read the names on the list, and forward it to the appropriate department in the government. Heinrich was a man of simple pleasures. He was not a fan of the Nazi regime and what it stood for. He had no personal issues with many people, but he did not see himself as someone influential enough to cause any great amount of change. His first wife, Margarethe, had died weeks before the war had started. His eldest son, Walter, had been conscripted into the army. He was sent to the Russian front, where at the age of 20 he was killed by a sniper as he relieved his lookout man in the tank he was assigned to. This would turn out to be a blessing as most soldiers in that tank division died a more drawn out and excruciating death due to exposure and starvation. Heinrich felt sad for the loss of his son in a war he did not believe in, but he was a common man with a common job and couldn't do anything to prevent Walter from serving in the army. His second child, Annmarie, was married to Heinz Beckmann. At least Heinz had enlisted in the merchant marines before the war started, so the chances of him dying in combat were low. Annmarie, being younger and more idealistic, was doing some small things to stand against the hatred that had engulfed their country. She had organized some of her neighbors in knitting mittens, scarfs, and other items of clothing, and then in the dead of night would sneak them into the outdoor pens where the Russian POWs were being held. The fact that his daughter was trying to keep the same people who were responsible for her brother's death from freezing during the cold winter nights was not lost on Heinrich.
One particular morning Heinrich came to his desk and proceeded to go through the papers in his pile. Page after page, name after name, he read. He would take a sip from his coffee every time that he felt his attention start to wander. Another sheet, another list of names. Once in a while a name would show up that appeared to be familiar. Most of the time he would not be able to identify the familiarity he felt. Was it an old school friend? The name of the son of his neighbor three doors down from his? The baker that he bought bread from for several years before they had moved? Not everyone on these lists would disappear. At least, Heinrich believed such to be true, but he knew full well that many of them did. What happened to those who did disappear was always up to speculation. Some were rumored to have been quietly disposed of on the outskirts of town. Others felt that they were sent to some of the work camps that the Jews and other undesirables were sent to. Some, he suspected, would catch wind of the SS coming for them and escaped into the countryside. A few would even claim that those who disappeared were simply relocated to another town where their skills could better serve the war movement. Still, there were those who would...
Heinrich stopped, and reread the last two names he had come across on the sheet of paper in his hand.
"Beckmann, Annmarie...Beckmann, Heinz".
Heinrich stared at the names. His daughter. Her husband. Their names seemed to shine out to him despite being typed in the same font as countless others had been. Heinrich looked around to see if any of his co-workers or superiors were watching him. He looked at the names again, and checked the address in a vain hope that another couple with the exact same names living in a different part of the country had been put on this list. With sadness he verified that they were indeed the names of his daughter and son-in-law. He looked at the paper with a concern that seemed to envelop him. He had a job to do, and doing that job had kept him unnoticed by those who were compiling these lists. He wondered if anyone knew that he was the father of this young woman. The idea that this was somehow a test of his loyalty, that someone was watching to see if he would choose country over kin. He looked around again. No one seemed to be paying him any attention. He set the piece of paper down on his desk, and lifted his coffee cup to his lips.
He hesitated. An idea began to form within his desperation. He looked down at the black liquid and saw a glimmer of hope. It would be easy to make this look like an accident. He was known for being accurate and rarely made an error in his work. Was he not owed one little slip up every now and then? It would not be too out of character of him, for everyone loses their focus once in a while. An egg gets dropped while baking, a toe gets stubbed while walking, a list of names gets ruined with a coffee spill...
Deciding on his course of action, Heinrich lowered the cup onto the desk, He set the paper with the names of his daughter and her husband beside it. Then, as normal looking as possible, he reached across his desk and bumped his arm against the cup, knocking it over. Its contents covered the corner of his desk, including the list of names that contained his future. Uttering a few cuss words, he swept the soggy papers into the trash bin nest to his desk, fetched some rags, and cleaned up the rest of the mess. The entire internal dilemma seemed to last an eternity for Heinrich, when in reality it had taken perhaps a full minute. Still, Heinrich had to still himself and calm himself down. He looked around again. Nobody seemed to have noticed the entire ordeal. Everyone had their faces down towards the report they were working on or the assignment they had been given. Heinrich took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and willed his nerves to calm down. With a deep breath, he opened his eyes, took the next sheet of paper and began to read through the names.
It was a significant amount of time before Heinrich felt that the worst was behind him. Never again did the names "Annmarie and Heinz Beckmann" appear on his lists. He made sure to tell them to be extra careful with their activities and with what they said in public. It wasn't until after the war that he told his daughter what had happened. By that time, Heinz and Annmarie had their two children born, a daughter named Barbara and a son named Michel. As Germany rebuilt itself out of the ashes of war and tyranny, many of its citizens looked across the ocean for a new start. For Heinz and Annmarie, Canada called out to them. They emigrated to Canada in 1954, to Toronto. Barbara would meet a nice young man named Charles while she attended university. When she had finished her education degree, they married. She taught a few years in Toronto while Charles finished some grad studies, and they moved west to Alberta. After a couple of miscarriages, they were blessed to welcome a little girl into their lives. a couple of years later they waited for their next child to be born.
On a day in late June, in Edmonton, Alberta, a small baby boy was born to Charles and Barbara. Unlike their experience with their daughter, some serious complications arose. Barbara's health was shattered due in some part to negligence of the hospital staff. In addition to that, the baby boy was struggling with his own health issues. The doctors told Charles and Barbara to give the baby a name quickly, for it was looking like he would not survive for long. Barbara would not accept the doctor's diagnosis. She stayed up as late as she was physically able to, feeding her son as much as he would take. When she became so exhausted, her loving husband would take over so she could catch a few moments of sleep. As soon as she was awake again, she took the little boy back into her arms and continued to care for him. While the baby's health eventually recovered, her health did not. She was saddened to learn that she would never be able to conceive anymore children. She never complained about any of this, as she wanted to make sure that her son was raised properly. She did not see the cost to her health to be a great sacrifice when compared to the life of her son.
Now those of you that know me quite well may have figured out the connection between these two stories and the title of this post. For those of you that are still wondering, let me tell you.
I'm not supposed to be here.
I will confess that some of the details are my own interpretation and imaginings of the events that happened to my great-grandfather, Heinrich. What we do know is that he did work in a government office, he did process the names of those who were suspected enemies of the state, and he did make a list disappear when he found the names of his daughter and son-in-law on it. I am not sure when it happened. I think it was after his son Walter had died (that part of the story is as true as I know it to be), although it could have happened before. I do not know with any certainty what thoughts went through his head, nor exactly how he destroyed the list. I do not know for certain what would have happened to Heinz and Annmarie Beckmann had Heinrich processed the list with their names on it like he should have done. The vast majority of those people were never heard from again, so I can make a safe assumption that they likely would not have had their two children. This means that Barbara Beckmann, my mother, would not have been born. This means that I would not have been born to Charles and Barbara Andrews.
That's one reason why I am not supposed to be here.
The second reason why I am not supposed to be here.
There are likely a thousand more reasons as to why I should not be here. A choice made by an ancestor, a mistake averted by a stranger. I think of the only car accident I have been involved in which had I been traveling a little faster would have ended up more on the tragic side than it did. I think of narrowly avoiding being trampled by a rather large and panicky cow when I was 13. I think of a choice I almost made as a teenager that would have ended my life much sooner than expected, and how grateful I am to have chosen differently. Some may suggest that I am exaggerating the events I described to imbue some sort of glorious purpose of my existence. So be it. Think what you will, but know this: I share these stories for a few reasons.
First, to provide a record of these events for my children and future grandchildren (fingers crossed). Second, to share a part of who I am with those who are interested. And third, to share a message. These two stories are connected by lineage, but I see another thread that needs to addressed. Too often we face choices in our lives that, while important to us in the here and now, can have an impact on the future that is harder to envision. My great grandfather could have been caught in his small act of defiance, but he chose to act in that manner anyways. My mother could have been excused for giving up on the seemingly lost cause of her sickly infant, but she chose to act in the manner that she did anyways. I do not know if my great grandfather knows of the good he did by allowing my grandparents to have a family. I do not know if my mother realizes the number of lives I have touched for good because of her sacrifice in giving me life. I do not know fully how I impact my student who is struggling against depression, my family member who has fallen on hard times and is receiving assistance from me, or if the time I took to brighten a complete stranger's day with an act of kindness will lead to some wonderful in that person's life. What I do know is that the chances that wonderful things will develop from the good things I try to do each day will be zero if I do nothing. I may not save the soul if I try, but I know I won't save it if I walk on by and do nothing. I never met my great grandfather, but he is a hero to me. My mother has been gone for over 15 years, and she is a hero to me. There are so many who have touched my life in ways that they may never know or understand who are heroes to me.
If I have been such a person to you, then take a moment to silently thank Heinrich Herman Hassforther and Barbara Magdalena Andrews for their parts in making me who I am today. Are you looking for a miracle? Have I blessed your life in any significant way? Have I done anything that has made your life brighter and happier? If I have, then you have your miracle, because as I stated before, I'm not supposed to be here.
Monday, May 2, 2016
What I Learned at the Park
This evening, Heather and I took the girls to Bowness Park. It was a beautiful evening. The sun was shining brightly, there was a nice breeze that kept the temperature pleasant, and the playground was full of families, everyone enjoying the moment. Barbara was soon talking to other children and asking them to play with her made up games. Hope was happily trotting up and down the toddler structure, a big smile beaming on her face. Instead of hovering over my kids I decided instead to just hang back and watch the girls go.
Gradually, my focus started to shift to the other children and families in the park with us. As I looked around, I started to notice the people around me. There were people of all different kinds with us. A variety of ages and ethnicity. I heard four different languages being spoken (at least), and a number of accents that suggest native languages might have been more. I watched the children play and laugh, no rhyme or reason, just random play and laughter. The noise was almost musical, infectious, and enthralling all at once. I couldn't help but smile.
As the children played, I began to think about how our world is today. Perhaps I am being nostalgic and looking back at the past through rose-colored glasses, but I cannot help but feel that our society has gradually been losing something important. I feel that we are more divided than we ever have been before. I look at how politics, religion, social justice, and economics separates us from each other. We argue with each other more often than not. Technology that was supposed to connect us more seems to keep us apart as we fight and bicker about things that sometimes feel so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. How did we get this way? Have we always secretly been this way, and my eyes are only opening now? Quite frankly, I just don't know.
I thought that while I was in university, our world had bridged divides, removed the things that kept us apart. People could have faith and belief without having to justify it. Communities would come together in tragedies. People celebrated differences more, and compromises were easier to find. We found joy in positivity. Yes, we had problems. There were still some who were marginalized. There were still some who were outcasts. No, it was not a utopia a mere decade or so ago, but it feels like we have lost more ground than we gained. It seems as though we bring one group into inclusion by pushing another one out. We open the proverbial closet for one, and shove another in to fill the void. Many preach tolerance of all, but act as if it is only for those who agree with them. Debate has become who can get the bigger zingers in, and one-liners seems to have replaced rational thought.
And the children played on. I started yearning for a fresh start. Heather walked over, and I said "I wish the world was more like this playground". Heather agreed. Nobody was looking at each other with suspicion or mistrust. The children played with whoever they wanted, however they wanted, for as long as their parents were willing to push back bedtime. Barbara was asking any kid that came by if they wanted to pilot her spaceship (the play structure) while she checked the engines. Nobody talked about not playing with certain children, just to be mindful of everyone so that we all had fun. Soon, Barbara was on the spider web merry-go-round with about a dozen other kids, and she wanted me to make it spin really fast. Soon, all the kids were encouraging me to go faster and faster while their parents watched with smiles and laughs, no phones recording anything. We were a group of people from many backgrounds, just enjoying the nice weather and the time spent with family.
I wish the world could have seen us this evening. We were not necessarily becoming BFFs or anything, but we were united. We didn't know each other's names, but we were pleasantly chatting it up. We watched our own kids and watched out for everyone. For a brief moment, the problems of the world was replaced with the laughter of children. We could be whoever we wanted to be, not just the labels our society placed on us. We could enjoy our families without having to apologize for anything. We just watched our children play together. There were only tears when parents had to tell their kids it was time to go (for Barbara, even the promise of ice cream couldn't hold back the crying). As we left, there were more families coming with their kids, and I expect that they also had fun with everyone.
I climbed into the van, and when I turned the ignition on, the news emanated from the radio with stories of elections and refugees, of politics and economics, of fear and hatred. It did not take me long to replace it with a seemingly fitting Disney hit, "Let It Go", and I wish our world can simply let go of the divisions and intolerance. Next on the playlist was "Rainbow Connection", and I began to hope that we would have more real connections. As we pulled into McDonalds for some well deserved treats, I once again resolved that the only way to change the world is to be that which I want the world to change to. If I want the world to be kind, then I must be kinder. If I want the world to be more accepting, than I must be more accepting. If I want more love in the world, then I must show more love to the world I live in.
I look forward to going back to the park.
Gradually, my focus started to shift to the other children and families in the park with us. As I looked around, I started to notice the people around me. There were people of all different kinds with us. A variety of ages and ethnicity. I heard four different languages being spoken (at least), and a number of accents that suggest native languages might have been more. I watched the children play and laugh, no rhyme or reason, just random play and laughter. The noise was almost musical, infectious, and enthralling all at once. I couldn't help but smile.
As the children played, I began to think about how our world is today. Perhaps I am being nostalgic and looking back at the past through rose-colored glasses, but I cannot help but feel that our society has gradually been losing something important. I feel that we are more divided than we ever have been before. I look at how politics, religion, social justice, and economics separates us from each other. We argue with each other more often than not. Technology that was supposed to connect us more seems to keep us apart as we fight and bicker about things that sometimes feel so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. How did we get this way? Have we always secretly been this way, and my eyes are only opening now? Quite frankly, I just don't know.
I thought that while I was in university, our world had bridged divides, removed the things that kept us apart. People could have faith and belief without having to justify it. Communities would come together in tragedies. People celebrated differences more, and compromises were easier to find. We found joy in positivity. Yes, we had problems. There were still some who were marginalized. There were still some who were outcasts. No, it was not a utopia a mere decade or so ago, but it feels like we have lost more ground than we gained. It seems as though we bring one group into inclusion by pushing another one out. We open the proverbial closet for one, and shove another in to fill the void. Many preach tolerance of all, but act as if it is only for those who agree with them. Debate has become who can get the bigger zingers in, and one-liners seems to have replaced rational thought.
And the children played on. I started yearning for a fresh start. Heather walked over, and I said "I wish the world was more like this playground". Heather agreed. Nobody was looking at each other with suspicion or mistrust. The children played with whoever they wanted, however they wanted, for as long as their parents were willing to push back bedtime. Barbara was asking any kid that came by if they wanted to pilot her spaceship (the play structure) while she checked the engines. Nobody talked about not playing with certain children, just to be mindful of everyone so that we all had fun. Soon, Barbara was on the spider web merry-go-round with about a dozen other kids, and she wanted me to make it spin really fast. Soon, all the kids were encouraging me to go faster and faster while their parents watched with smiles and laughs, no phones recording anything. We were a group of people from many backgrounds, just enjoying the nice weather and the time spent with family.
I wish the world could have seen us this evening. We were not necessarily becoming BFFs or anything, but we were united. We didn't know each other's names, but we were pleasantly chatting it up. We watched our own kids and watched out for everyone. For a brief moment, the problems of the world was replaced with the laughter of children. We could be whoever we wanted to be, not just the labels our society placed on us. We could enjoy our families without having to apologize for anything. We just watched our children play together. There were only tears when parents had to tell their kids it was time to go (for Barbara, even the promise of ice cream couldn't hold back the crying). As we left, there were more families coming with their kids, and I expect that they also had fun with everyone.
I climbed into the van, and when I turned the ignition on, the news emanated from the radio with stories of elections and refugees, of politics and economics, of fear and hatred. It did not take me long to replace it with a seemingly fitting Disney hit, "Let It Go", and I wish our world can simply let go of the divisions and intolerance. Next on the playlist was "Rainbow Connection", and I began to hope that we would have more real connections. As we pulled into McDonalds for some well deserved treats, I once again resolved that the only way to change the world is to be that which I want the world to change to. If I want the world to be kind, then I must be kinder. If I want the world to be more accepting, than I must be more accepting. If I want more love in the world, then I must show more love to the world I live in.
I look forward to going back to the park.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Five Years Down, Eternity to Go
The last couple of days have been rough for me. Friday night Heather wanted some Chinese food, so I went on a quest. I went to Market Mall where I knew I could get some small servings. While the food tasted good, I was hit with bad stomach pains in the middle of the night from it. I think it was food poisoning, and today (Sunday) I am still feeling the after effects of it. I really hope that I will be over it today, because tomorrow is a very special day for me. Tomorrow is July 27, and five years ago tomorrow I married my beautiful Dandaloo. A lot has happened in those past five years, and most of it has been beyond good. I hope that the next five years will continue that tradition.
As I look back at these last five years, I am amazed as to how happy I am. I believe that I was happy in my previous marriage (except for the end, of course), but it pales in comparison. Heather has done so much for me. I feel so greatly blessed with having her in my life. She has given me so much genuine love that has produced two darling little girls. She has understood me better than almost any other person I have known. She treats me with respect, love, and devotion. She is so patient with me and accepts me as who I am. Most importantly, she will talk to me about her worries and problems, and listens to mine. She loves to laugh, is not ashamed to cry, and is as devoted to her family as any I know. Together we have faced trials and received blessings. We have walked the streets of New York City, had fun at theme parks in Orlando, been to about ten different temples, and lay on the beaches of Bermuda. We have celebrated each others successes and stood beside each other through the hardships. Each of us have seen the other through surgeries. We have done the best we could with our children and the unique situation of having two wee ones and two adult kids, and our home is a happy one.
As I look back on the last five years, I am grateful to know that our marriage will last into the eternities. I love that we made the decision to marry in the temple where eternal marriages are made. I look forward to not only the many years that are to come, but to what comes beyond this life. There is only one person with whom I would want to have by my side for the rest of forever.
As I look back at these last five years, I am amazed as to how happy I am. I believe that I was happy in my previous marriage (except for the end, of course), but it pales in comparison. Heather has done so much for me. I feel so greatly blessed with having her in my life. She has given me so much genuine love that has produced two darling little girls. She has understood me better than almost any other person I have known. She treats me with respect, love, and devotion. She is so patient with me and accepts me as who I am. Most importantly, she will talk to me about her worries and problems, and listens to mine. She loves to laugh, is not ashamed to cry, and is as devoted to her family as any I know. Together we have faced trials and received blessings. We have walked the streets of New York City, had fun at theme parks in Orlando, been to about ten different temples, and lay on the beaches of Bermuda. We have celebrated each others successes and stood beside each other through the hardships. Each of us have seen the other through surgeries. We have done the best we could with our children and the unique situation of having two wee ones and two adult kids, and our home is a happy one.
As I look back on the last five years, I am grateful to know that our marriage will last into the eternities. I love that we made the decision to marry in the temple where eternal marriages are made. I look forward to not only the many years that are to come, but to what comes beyond this life. There is only one person with whom I would want to have by my side for the rest of forever.
Top 10 Things I Look Forward to in the Next 5 Years of Marriage
10. Vegas Convention - We are debating next summer, but hopefully once in the next few years.
9. School for the Girls - Barbara starts kindergarten in two years, Hope in 4. Wow.
8. Five more anniversary dinners. This year, we are going to try the Bear's Den.
7. More Temple Trips - This past week we performed 50 sealings. It was wonderful.
6. More Trips - in 2018 we are thinking of a Disney Christmas. We are saving Air Miles for park passes and Avion points for plane tickets.
5. Weird Al in Concert - This happens in September (how lucky am I to have a wife who will go to a Weird Al concert with me?!)
4. More Dates - Now that the girls are older, we are going to be going on more dates. Looking forward to trying new things.
3. Hope Talking - She has started walking, and gets a few words in, but I look forward to what she has to say about things.
2. Barbara's baptism - She's 3 now. She'll be 8 in 5 years. Again, wow.
1. Waking Up Each Day - Because I get to wake up to an angel.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Hope, Mom, and Why I'm a Trekkie
Well, there is hope in my life, or should I say "Hope" in my life. On May 6th at 1:22 am in the Foothills hospital, Hope Kelly Andrews was born. She came quickly. Heather's water broke at only 10 pm, and within an hour of arriving at the hospital out came our new little girl. This birth felt different for me, likely due to a combination of being the second time instead of the first, it happening so quickly, and having to coordinate things with Barbara as well. Incidentally Barbara loves her little sister. I hope (Hope? Yup, there will be a lifetime of Hope puns) that continues as they grow older. Heather is doing great and is once again showing me how strong she is and how caring and nurturing a person she has always been.
May has become yet again an important month for me. Yesterday we had an open house for Hope. Many great friends and family and came to say hi. I always enjoy opening my home to company and it was no different this time around. It was nice to see almost twenty friends and family take a few moments out of their busy Saturday to say hi and hold a little Hope in their arms (yeah, definitely a lifetime of puns). In the evening, Heather mentioned that she came across a journal of mine with an entry from May 24, 2001. It was the day my mother passed away. I had to stop for a moment because for the first time that date slipped my mind. I will always remember that day and that it happened in May, but I honestly had forgotten to mark the event mentally until Heather reminded me. I'm not certain how I feel about this. I do not expect that my mother would want me to fixate on her passing every year at this time. For the first few years it was so, but that was more of the healing process then anything else. Usually I would remember her, say a quick prayer about her, and continue on with the rest of the day. Not this year. Has the wound of her passing finally healed? Do I want it to be fully healed? I still miss her, and I am grateful to have my eldest daughter named after her, but is it right that I had forgotten about the day? I cannot answer those questions. I do not know if this is a failing on my part or not. I have felt the loss of loved ones since, but she is and likely will be the keenest felt loss. I can only imagine Heather or one of my little girls hitting me harder.
Don't get me wrong, I am not spending countless hours at night mulling this through my mind. I just make note of it, process it, resolve what I can, and leave the rest for another time when my understanding becomes more apparent. In no way do I love my mother less. I indeed think of her on an almost daily basis, especially watching her granddaughters grow. I guess I am leaning towards the idea that I no longer feel that I "have" to remember the day my mother passed to honour her memory. Instead, I continue to live my life in a way that honours her memory. I remember the day one of her former students came by to visit us. It really impacted me to see that decades after being in her classroom this lady still felt a connection to my mother. I believe that is one of the reasons why I have tried to establish connections with all of my students. I also cannot forget that it was my mother who taught me to love Star Trek. Yup, it's all her fault. I'll expand on this more (as it is in the title), but I always found it fitting that they evening before she died she watched the series finale of Star Trek Voyager. The crew that she had faithfully watched for seven years finally made it home, and that night she was called home.
So, why Star Trek? Well, in addition to May 23 being Voyager's finale, it was also the 20th anniversary of the final episode of The Next Generation. I have always loved this franchise, and again, my mother is to thank for that. I have many people try to debate with me the reasons why Trek is so wonderful and my favourite, but it is not about the quality of the shows (although they are high quality indeed) or even the message of hope for the future. My reasons are much more personal. Star Trek was a family tradition. Every week while TNG and DS9 were on the air we would gather together in the family room. Creation Entertainment would run conventions in Edmonton twice a year during the heyday, and often the family would go. T.J. took the whole family on a Trek Cruise during my mission as a Make-A -Wish event. Since Mom passed away my family has become a bit more fractured. T.J.'s passing added to that as well. Despite efforts on many people's parts, I really only feel close to my father (and Vi) and Tara. Life and different choices have put distance between the rest and myself, and try as I may I have not been able to bridge those distances. So when I miss the members of my family who I have not seen in a long time and nothing else is able to help, there are several DVDs I can pop into the machine and help me remember some fond memories.
So, in honour of TNG's finale, I present my Top Ten Favourite TNG episodes. However, an occasion like this cannot be marked like this without the honorable mentions. For this list, I went through the list of entire episodes and identified any that I thought could make the cut. Two part episodes are counted as one. The honorable mentions (in order of broadcast) are: Skin of Evil, Sarek, Brothers, Qpid, Darmok, Disaster, I Borg, Rascals, Tapestry, Face of the Enemy, Starship Mine, Descent, and Genesis. Now, the tougher part was deciding on the Top Ten's order. Here is what I have:
10. Conspiracy - This was a neat little first season episode. I am not a fan of gratuitous violence, but I have to say watching a guy's head explode on TV was cool. I really wish they had followed this up in later seasons.
9. Lower Decks - After ranking a first season episode, it seems fitting to have a final season episode next. The TNG episodes often revolved around the senior officers (understandably so), and they often brought in reoccurring characters such as Barclay, Ogawa, O'Brien, etc. to round out how the ship was really a ship of over 1000 people. Lower Decks to me was an episode about the little guys. It tied in a few story lines from earlier episodes but showed what I think most of fans would have loved to experience: being a part of the crew.
8. The Measure of a Man - From Season 2 this episode, in my eyes, showed the first real strength in using great story telling and character development while at the same time providing social commentary. Powerful performances from Brent Spiner, Patrick Stewart, and Johnathon Frakes helped push this episode to the #8 spot.
7. Unification - Not only do we get another great performance from Mark Leonard as Sarek, but we finally get to see Leonard Nimoy reprise his monumental role of Spock on TNG. This was a highly anticipated two-part story that sadly aired just after the death of Trek creator Gene Roddenberry (both episodes were dedicated to him) but also weeks before Star Trek VI, and provided a great hype for the new film. Throw in Sela (Denise Crosby) and a Data-Spock tag team and you have a whole lot of fun.
6. Relics - Always a fan favourite, Relics returns James Doohan as Scotty to the Trek world. For me this episode is great not just because of the connections made between TNG and the Original series but because the central TNG character was my favourite Geordi La Forge, the blind chief engineer, who sadly was rarely the main focus of any episode. Yes, it made sense that Geordi and Scotty would team up, but it is nice to see that they did so in a great way.
5. The Inner Light - OK, it's getting tough now. A lot of fans may start to cry foul that this timeless classic episode only made it #5 and not the Top 3, but I have my reasons for ranking others higher. Suffice it to say even if you are not a Trek fan, this episode is one that almost anyone can enjoy. Again, it shows how great Trek can be when the focus on telling good stories. The special effects and cool moments all take a back seat to a good story and this episode shows that such effects are not necessary.
4. Yesterday's Enterprise - One of the best time-travel/alternate universe stories that brought back my beloved Denise Crosby back as Tasha Yar. Now, I mentioned in the last one that special effects are not necessary when you have a great story, but this episode had both and were used effectively. I also like the foundations that were set for future stories, from minor things such as Worf drinking prune juice to big surprises such as the blond half-human Romulan Sela. I wish they could have shown more of how the Enterprise D crew met their fates during the final battle (apparently they were supposed to kill Wesley and Data), but it is exciting.
3. The Best of Both Worlds - I don't care about who shot JR or Mr. Burns, or who survived the terrorist attack in Dynasty, or even the Season 3 finale of LOST, this is THE BEST season cliffhanger of all time. Great development. The only thing that keeps it from higher was the slightly weaker part 2.
2. All Good Things - Definitely the best series finale in not only Trek history but in almost all of TV. It bookends the series with beauty and logic, reuniting old fan favorites like Tomalak, O'Brien, Yar, and of course, Q. I always wished that they would have done a movie with Q, but if this is as close as they will ever get, then I am satisfied with it. The end scene with the poker game is brilliantly executed and is a nice way to lead us into the TNG movies.
1. The Offspring - I can already hear fellow Trekkies questioning this choice of Data creating a daughter being #1 so let me explain. This is MY favourite list. I readily admit that if I were to rank the best episodes I would place it lower (but still top ten). What gives it the top spot for me is two things. First, there is a line that Data gives as he expresses to his daughter Lal about why he strives to be human when he will never accomplish the goal. He says that it is the journey that one makes that is important, not the actual destination. As a young man it struck a cord with me that resonates to this day. The second is the love a father has for his child. As I grew older and became a father, this episode has come to mean a great deal more to me and cements itself at the top spot.
May has become yet again an important month for me. Yesterday we had an open house for Hope. Many great friends and family and came to say hi. I always enjoy opening my home to company and it was no different this time around. It was nice to see almost twenty friends and family take a few moments out of their busy Saturday to say hi and hold a little Hope in their arms (yeah, definitely a lifetime of puns). In the evening, Heather mentioned that she came across a journal of mine with an entry from May 24, 2001. It was the day my mother passed away. I had to stop for a moment because for the first time that date slipped my mind. I will always remember that day and that it happened in May, but I honestly had forgotten to mark the event mentally until Heather reminded me. I'm not certain how I feel about this. I do not expect that my mother would want me to fixate on her passing every year at this time. For the first few years it was so, but that was more of the healing process then anything else. Usually I would remember her, say a quick prayer about her, and continue on with the rest of the day. Not this year. Has the wound of her passing finally healed? Do I want it to be fully healed? I still miss her, and I am grateful to have my eldest daughter named after her, but is it right that I had forgotten about the day? I cannot answer those questions. I do not know if this is a failing on my part or not. I have felt the loss of loved ones since, but she is and likely will be the keenest felt loss. I can only imagine Heather or one of my little girls hitting me harder.
Don't get me wrong, I am not spending countless hours at night mulling this through my mind. I just make note of it, process it, resolve what I can, and leave the rest for another time when my understanding becomes more apparent. In no way do I love my mother less. I indeed think of her on an almost daily basis, especially watching her granddaughters grow. I guess I am leaning towards the idea that I no longer feel that I "have" to remember the day my mother passed to honour her memory. Instead, I continue to live my life in a way that honours her memory. I remember the day one of her former students came by to visit us. It really impacted me to see that decades after being in her classroom this lady still felt a connection to my mother. I believe that is one of the reasons why I have tried to establish connections with all of my students. I also cannot forget that it was my mother who taught me to love Star Trek. Yup, it's all her fault. I'll expand on this more (as it is in the title), but I always found it fitting that they evening before she died she watched the series finale of Star Trek Voyager. The crew that she had faithfully watched for seven years finally made it home, and that night she was called home.
So, why Star Trek? Well, in addition to May 23 being Voyager's finale, it was also the 20th anniversary of the final episode of The Next Generation. I have always loved this franchise, and again, my mother is to thank for that. I have many people try to debate with me the reasons why Trek is so wonderful and my favourite, but it is not about the quality of the shows (although they are high quality indeed) or even the message of hope for the future. My reasons are much more personal. Star Trek was a family tradition. Every week while TNG and DS9 were on the air we would gather together in the family room. Creation Entertainment would run conventions in Edmonton twice a year during the heyday, and often the family would go. T.J. took the whole family on a Trek Cruise during my mission as a Make-A -Wish event. Since Mom passed away my family has become a bit more fractured. T.J.'s passing added to that as well. Despite efforts on many people's parts, I really only feel close to my father (and Vi) and Tara. Life and different choices have put distance between the rest and myself, and try as I may I have not been able to bridge those distances. So when I miss the members of my family who I have not seen in a long time and nothing else is able to help, there are several DVDs I can pop into the machine and help me remember some fond memories.
So, in honour of TNG's finale, I present my Top Ten Favourite TNG episodes. However, an occasion like this cannot be marked like this without the honorable mentions. For this list, I went through the list of entire episodes and identified any that I thought could make the cut. Two part episodes are counted as one. The honorable mentions (in order of broadcast) are: Skin of Evil, Sarek, Brothers, Qpid, Darmok, Disaster, I Borg, Rascals, Tapestry, Face of the Enemy, Starship Mine, Descent, and Genesis. Now, the tougher part was deciding on the Top Ten's order. Here is what I have:
10. Conspiracy - This was a neat little first season episode. I am not a fan of gratuitous violence, but I have to say watching a guy's head explode on TV was cool. I really wish they had followed this up in later seasons.
9. Lower Decks - After ranking a first season episode, it seems fitting to have a final season episode next. The TNG episodes often revolved around the senior officers (understandably so), and they often brought in reoccurring characters such as Barclay, Ogawa, O'Brien, etc. to round out how the ship was really a ship of over 1000 people. Lower Decks to me was an episode about the little guys. It tied in a few story lines from earlier episodes but showed what I think most of fans would have loved to experience: being a part of the crew.
8. The Measure of a Man - From Season 2 this episode, in my eyes, showed the first real strength in using great story telling and character development while at the same time providing social commentary. Powerful performances from Brent Spiner, Patrick Stewart, and Johnathon Frakes helped push this episode to the #8 spot.
7. Unification - Not only do we get another great performance from Mark Leonard as Sarek, but we finally get to see Leonard Nimoy reprise his monumental role of Spock on TNG. This was a highly anticipated two-part story that sadly aired just after the death of Trek creator Gene Roddenberry (both episodes were dedicated to him) but also weeks before Star Trek VI, and provided a great hype for the new film. Throw in Sela (Denise Crosby) and a Data-Spock tag team and you have a whole lot of fun.
6. Relics - Always a fan favourite, Relics returns James Doohan as Scotty to the Trek world. For me this episode is great not just because of the connections made between TNG and the Original series but because the central TNG character was my favourite Geordi La Forge, the blind chief engineer, who sadly was rarely the main focus of any episode. Yes, it made sense that Geordi and Scotty would team up, but it is nice to see that they did so in a great way.
5. The Inner Light - OK, it's getting tough now. A lot of fans may start to cry foul that this timeless classic episode only made it #5 and not the Top 3, but I have my reasons for ranking others higher. Suffice it to say even if you are not a Trek fan, this episode is one that almost anyone can enjoy. Again, it shows how great Trek can be when the focus on telling good stories. The special effects and cool moments all take a back seat to a good story and this episode shows that such effects are not necessary.
4. Yesterday's Enterprise - One of the best time-travel/alternate universe stories that brought back my beloved Denise Crosby back as Tasha Yar. Now, I mentioned in the last one that special effects are not necessary when you have a great story, but this episode had both and were used effectively. I also like the foundations that were set for future stories, from minor things such as Worf drinking prune juice to big surprises such as the blond half-human Romulan Sela. I wish they could have shown more of how the Enterprise D crew met their fates during the final battle (apparently they were supposed to kill Wesley and Data), but it is exciting.
3. The Best of Both Worlds - I don't care about who shot JR or Mr. Burns, or who survived the terrorist attack in Dynasty, or even the Season 3 finale of LOST, this is THE BEST season cliffhanger of all time. Great development. The only thing that keeps it from higher was the slightly weaker part 2.
2. All Good Things - Definitely the best series finale in not only Trek history but in almost all of TV. It bookends the series with beauty and logic, reuniting old fan favorites like Tomalak, O'Brien, Yar, and of course, Q. I always wished that they would have done a movie with Q, but if this is as close as they will ever get, then I am satisfied with it. The end scene with the poker game is brilliantly executed and is a nice way to lead us into the TNG movies.
1. The Offspring - I can already hear fellow Trekkies questioning this choice of Data creating a daughter being #1 so let me explain. This is MY favourite list. I readily admit that if I were to rank the best episodes I would place it lower (but still top ten). What gives it the top spot for me is two things. First, there is a line that Data gives as he expresses to his daughter Lal about why he strives to be human when he will never accomplish the goal. He says that it is the journey that one makes that is important, not the actual destination. As a young man it struck a cord with me that resonates to this day. The second is the love a father has for his child. As I grew older and became a father, this episode has come to mean a great deal more to me and cements itself at the top spot.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Pushing On
So this Spring Break is going down as one of the least enjoyable. We said a sad good-bye to our beloved Annie just over a week ago. It still hurts. The house seems a bit more empty with her passing. She went so peacefully and quickly. My sister, Tara, was the vet who administered the dose. She and her staff at Calgary North Veterinary Hospital were wonderful and understanding. We had Annie cremated at the Humane Society. I found her at an animal shelter so it made sense to me have her end at one. Again, the staff I dealt with were very compassionate. Heather and Barbara were with me the whole time, except for a bit before I left her to be cremated. I had a moment to speak to her and say my peace. In the days following I have found that simple things evoke strong emotions. Finding small clumps of her hair in the carpet, putting away her food dish, a touching statue a friend gave us over a year ago, even looking at where she would look out the front window and watch the world pass by can warm my heart and weeping like a small child. Her loss has hit me much more profoundly than I had anticipated. I am glad we waited until Spring Break to allow me to grieve without the responsibilities of work hanging overhead. So for now I move on and remember the good times. I do not fight the tears, but find the appropriate place to shed them. I think that not only do tears cleanse the body but also the soul.
It was unfortunate that only Annie's passing seemed to go according to schedule. After coming home from the humane society I became afflicted with a bad cold that has laid me out almost every day since. That squashed our plans on a weekend trip to Edmonton. Today was the best I have felt (physically) the whole break, and instead of going this weekend we thought that staying in Calgary will be enough. I want to be as healthy as possible when I go back to work this Monday. I hope that this Friday we will be able to have a really good, fun-filled day. I need it. My beloved wife, entering her last weeks of this pregnancy, has been supremely supportive of me. Barbara has developed a sweet side that has her wiping Daddy's tears even though she does not understand why he is crying. I have had many good friends, mostly through Facebook, come and provide support as well. So I push on, and look forward to seeing my colleagues and students on Monday.
Before my Top 10 list, a video that a former principal and good friend shared with me.
Top 10 Things I Miss Most About Annie
9. Her sneaking up onto the couch. Everyone else did not want her to, but I was OK with it. She had as much of a right as every person in the family does.
8. Cleaning up Barbara's discarded food. Those who are happy about the lack of vacuuming know the trade off now.
7. Taking walks. She loved it when I grabbed her leash. I forget the countless hours we spent roaming the areas where we lived. I could even take her without the leash because she would always come when called.
6. Chocolate hound. Who doesn't love sneaking a chocolate here and there. Annie sure did. Her last night I gave her some of the last of the Belgian chocolates I was given for Christmas.
5. How she greeted everyone who visited. She was loud, barking, and friendly. Our way of saying "Welcome to our home."
4. Her TV enthusiasm. She would love to watch TV and bark and jump whenever there were other animals on. I even remember her getting so excited once that she chased a dog that ran off of the screen into the next room thinking that it had run off in there. It was always entertaining for company to see.
3. Barbara's love for her first dog. Annie didn't take well to Barbara at first, but Barbie sure loved Annie. Annie was very patient and protective, even if she found the toddler to be annoying. I find it an unfortunate blessing that Barbara will not likely miss Annie the same way. I will try to help her remember the old girl
2. Coming home. I could always count on Annie to come to greet me whenever I came home. She was always happy to see me.
1. She always wanted to get love and affection, and return it all without judgement or prejudice. She was such a dog that way. Perfect.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Merry Christmas to All
It is one of my favourite times again, the winter holiday season. I love Christmas time, and having a little girl who is truly experiencing it for the first time is adding so much of the magic again. Yes, last year Barbara was happy to have presents to unwrap, but she is really getting into the swing of things this year. She loves the rocking polar bear that moves as "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" plays, she recognizes Santa, she loves the German Christmas cookies I got at the Edelweiss Village, she thinks all Christmas lights are "pretty", and she enjoys reading the nativity books Heather bought for her. It brings much joy to my heart to see her pure innocence and happiness that this season is bringing. It truly is a joyful time.
To be honest, I have also found Christmas this year to be more hectic than usual. I'm not sure how it happened or why. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and I am finding that my own pace is a wee bit slower than I would like to remember. Maybe it is the extra things that I added onto my plate this year. Maybe it's that little bundle of energy that learned to take her first few steps a few months ago and has been running around ever since. Regardless of which I need to take some time to remember the real reasons that make this time special for me.
For me, Christmas has mostly been about family. As mine is growing (just under five months for the newest little Andrews to enter the world) I find that I must make the most of family not just during these festive times but all year long. I plan on avoiding the stereotype of a father who does not have time for his kids or wife. My best memories of Christmas past has always included family. The great food my mother used to make was often made with us kids. Buying the right gift for a brother or sister was always a careful ordeal. Having the entire family together for Mom's last Christmas was so very important, even though we did not know that it would be her last. It is one of the many blessings that I found looking back that we were able to do that for her. Since Heather has entered my life there have been many great Christmas memories with more family. I realise that many of us look back with a bit of hurt and pain at Christmas memories with family no longer with us. I volunteer at Zoo Lights, and this past Friday I spoke to a woman who was at the wishing tree. She said her family felt she was foolish writing down a wish that she knew she couldn't receive. She lost her son six years ago and wanted him back. She slipped away before I could say much more than I was sorry for her loss. I wanted to give her a hug from her son. I hope someone else will be able to do that for her.
Christmas has also been about looking for the best in things and people. It is about reaching out to those that are all around us with a smile, a hug, a helping hand, a donation, or just a listening ear. It is about going a little out of your way to perform a small act of kindness. It is about finding that little bit of forgiveness to someone who wronged us that we just have been thus far unable or unwilling to give. Christmas is to bring about joy to the world through our actions and our words. It is about bring to pass the peace on Earth and goodwill to men that we sing about but often do little to comprehend. There is love and sweetness that should be woven into the fabric of this holiday season if we are to truly to get the most out of it.
Yes, I have some silly Christmas traditions. I now own every single Muppet Christmas special (although I cannot find the disc for the Muppet Christmas Carol for some reason) that exists, including the before ever elusive Muppet Family Christmas. I cannot have a good Christmas without some lebkuchen, of which now that I know where the prime place in Calgary to acquire them will ever be a staple again. I need to listen to as many parodies of the 12 Days of Christmas I can find (my favourites being the 12 Pains of Christmas and the classic Mackenzie Brother version). That's all well and fine. At the end of the day (or the season as it were), I offer in my Top Ten List the Ten Most Important Traditions of Christmas.
10. Give a little something to those who serve you. There are many ways to do this. I personally try to give a little something to the people in retail and the service industry at this time. Those three-pack Lindt truffles are just about perfect for that. I try to make sure I always have some when I am Christmas shopping and then leave one behind when I make a purchase.
9. Give back to the community. For me, this is where Zoo Lights comes in, but it can include supporting any charity or non-profit organization. It includes shoveling sidewalks for neighbours and strangers.
8. Singing traditional Christmas carols/hymns. Yes, "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" are fun, but they would all be meaningless if there hadn't been that "Silent Night" where that special child was found "Away in a Manger". When I buy a Christmas album, there must be a few of those songs on it. If they are all party-type fun stuff with no mention of Christ, then it just is not for me.
7. Ward Christmas party. I have been fortunate enough to go almost every year. My church family is so integral to the success that I have had that I relish the opportunity to celebrate an important event with them. The fact that there is usually a great turkey dinner involved is great too.
6. Talking to strangers. Totally in the face of what my elementary teachers taught me, but this means offering a friendly hello and Merry Christmas to those around us.
5. Respecting all holidays, regardless of religion. I made a special effort this year to recognize the religious and cultural holidays and observances of many faiths. I know that there are many people who are not Christian, and while this is a country that was created largely by Christian people, it was created for all people of all belief, even if that belief is none at all. I make no apologies for wishing people a Merry Christmas, but there is no reason to pass along a desire for people to have a Happy Chanukah or a Habari Gani.
4. Forgiveness. We need to find forgiveness in our hearts, for He is willing to forgive us. This includes finding forgiveness for ourselves. We can give ourselves a gift in allowing us to move beyond the mistakes that we make.
3. Tell my wife how much she means to me. Yeah, this is a year long goal, but Christmas includes gift giving, and every day she gives me love, understanding, acceptance, support, peace, joy, and my children. She brings out the best in me and completes my life.
2. Spend time with family. I hope my children will be able to look back when I'm gone and be able to say that I was always there for them, not just at Christmas but always. I hope the activities that we turn into traditions will be fond memories for them.
1. Keep the first six letters in Christmas the main focus.
A last little gift to you all, one of my favourite more modern Christmas songs.
To be honest, I have also found Christmas this year to be more hectic than usual. I'm not sure how it happened or why. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and I am finding that my own pace is a wee bit slower than I would like to remember. Maybe it is the extra things that I added onto my plate this year. Maybe it's that little bundle of energy that learned to take her first few steps a few months ago and has been running around ever since. Regardless of which I need to take some time to remember the real reasons that make this time special for me.
For me, Christmas has mostly been about family. As mine is growing (just under five months for the newest little Andrews to enter the world) I find that I must make the most of family not just during these festive times but all year long. I plan on avoiding the stereotype of a father who does not have time for his kids or wife. My best memories of Christmas past has always included family. The great food my mother used to make was often made with us kids. Buying the right gift for a brother or sister was always a careful ordeal. Having the entire family together for Mom's last Christmas was so very important, even though we did not know that it would be her last. It is one of the many blessings that I found looking back that we were able to do that for her. Since Heather has entered my life there have been many great Christmas memories with more family. I realise that many of us look back with a bit of hurt and pain at Christmas memories with family no longer with us. I volunteer at Zoo Lights, and this past Friday I spoke to a woman who was at the wishing tree. She said her family felt she was foolish writing down a wish that she knew she couldn't receive. She lost her son six years ago and wanted him back. She slipped away before I could say much more than I was sorry for her loss. I wanted to give her a hug from her son. I hope someone else will be able to do that for her.
Christmas has also been about looking for the best in things and people. It is about reaching out to those that are all around us with a smile, a hug, a helping hand, a donation, or just a listening ear. It is about going a little out of your way to perform a small act of kindness. It is about finding that little bit of forgiveness to someone who wronged us that we just have been thus far unable or unwilling to give. Christmas is to bring about joy to the world through our actions and our words. It is about bring to pass the peace on Earth and goodwill to men that we sing about but often do little to comprehend. There is love and sweetness that should be woven into the fabric of this holiday season if we are to truly to get the most out of it.
Yes, I have some silly Christmas traditions. I now own every single Muppet Christmas special (although I cannot find the disc for the Muppet Christmas Carol for some reason) that exists, including the before ever elusive Muppet Family Christmas. I cannot have a good Christmas without some lebkuchen, of which now that I know where the prime place in Calgary to acquire them will ever be a staple again. I need to listen to as many parodies of the 12 Days of Christmas I can find (my favourites being the 12 Pains of Christmas and the classic Mackenzie Brother version). That's all well and fine. At the end of the day (or the season as it were), I offer in my Top Ten List the Ten Most Important Traditions of Christmas.
10. Give a little something to those who serve you. There are many ways to do this. I personally try to give a little something to the people in retail and the service industry at this time. Those three-pack Lindt truffles are just about perfect for that. I try to make sure I always have some when I am Christmas shopping and then leave one behind when I make a purchase.
9. Give back to the community. For me, this is where Zoo Lights comes in, but it can include supporting any charity or non-profit organization. It includes shoveling sidewalks for neighbours and strangers.
8. Singing traditional Christmas carols/hymns. Yes, "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" are fun, but they would all be meaningless if there hadn't been that "Silent Night" where that special child was found "Away in a Manger". When I buy a Christmas album, there must be a few of those songs on it. If they are all party-type fun stuff with no mention of Christ, then it just is not for me.
7. Ward Christmas party. I have been fortunate enough to go almost every year. My church family is so integral to the success that I have had that I relish the opportunity to celebrate an important event with them. The fact that there is usually a great turkey dinner involved is great too.
6. Talking to strangers. Totally in the face of what my elementary teachers taught me, but this means offering a friendly hello and Merry Christmas to those around us.
5. Respecting all holidays, regardless of religion. I made a special effort this year to recognize the religious and cultural holidays and observances of many faiths. I know that there are many people who are not Christian, and while this is a country that was created largely by Christian people, it was created for all people of all belief, even if that belief is none at all. I make no apologies for wishing people a Merry Christmas, but there is no reason to pass along a desire for people to have a Happy Chanukah or a Habari Gani.
4. Forgiveness. We need to find forgiveness in our hearts, for He is willing to forgive us. This includes finding forgiveness for ourselves. We can give ourselves a gift in allowing us to move beyond the mistakes that we make.
3. Tell my wife how much she means to me. Yeah, this is a year long goal, but Christmas includes gift giving, and every day she gives me love, understanding, acceptance, support, peace, joy, and my children. She brings out the best in me and completes my life.
2. Spend time with family. I hope my children will be able to look back when I'm gone and be able to say that I was always there for them, not just at Christmas but always. I hope the activities that we turn into traditions will be fond memories for them.
1. Keep the first six letters in Christmas the main focus.
A last little gift to you all, one of my favourite more modern Christmas songs.
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