While I love the recognition given to holidays that memorialize our war dead, or that give thanks to our veterans, or celebrate the independence of this country, and I have had many a fun (or wild) New Years eve, only one holiday is truly special to me. I wish each of you a Merry Christmas.

Christmas is celebrated by many regardless of their faith. I personally have known Jews, Moslems, Hindus, atheists and agnostics who celebrate Christmas.  It is a family holiday for all who celebrate it, and a religious holiday for some.  It does not matter what date that baby was born on, or why the Christmas holiday began in the first place, it is to each of us, exactly what we have made it.

To me Christmas is a warehouse full of memories.  It is also a season of atmosphere and mood, and you all know how much I love both atmosphere and mood.  Christmas eve and Christmas morning have two very distinctively different feels to them.   For me the eve was about spending time with that one special person, while the morning was a bright and joyous time to be spent with the whole family.  As a child I loved the morning.  Of course that was the time for presents. As an adult my favorite Christmas eve was spent with my significant other and my two dogs.  We drove around in our car looking at Christmas lights/decorations and listening to Christmas songs.  On another great Christmas eve all of my friends saddled up their horses and rode to the nearest suburb.  They went house to house singing Christmas carols.  No I didn’t ride that night, as they needed someone to drive slowly in back of them with the car flashers going. I didn’t mind as it was a beautiful thing to see and hear.  I was also warm. I was also driving my Ford Mustang.  On a few occasions in my recent past I have spent Christmas in nature. You would be surprised how beautiful it is, and how many others you will find doing the same thing.

I think any of you who get to look into the eyes of little ones on Christmas morning, may have the most pleasure filled Christmas.  Christmas after all can be about one little child who came to this earth to allow each of us to become better than we are.

There are more charitable organizations active at this time than any other.  Christmas should never be only about ourselves.

It is funny how throughout our lives people come and go.  Sometimes it almost seems preordained.  I think there is a purpose for that.  Of course I think there is a purpose for everything. We are the sum total of everything and everybody who has walked through our life. I believe God wants it that way.  There is a plan for us and at the center of that plan, is the necessity that we continue learn, from birth until death.  I know if I ever stop learning it will be my time to leave.  Thankfully I still learn every day.

Cave Point:  Lake Michigan, Door County Wisconsin

I have spent many a quiet morning at this location.  I have been here in all seasons and I have used Cave Point as the meeting location for several workshops.

On a mid December morning in the 1990s I headed out of my car for what was going to be a cold sunrise.  I waited with anticipation for that first sign of light.  I gave thanks for the lack of wind and enjoyed the silence.  I was just beginning to notice that my ears (hands, feet, etc.) were beginning to lose their feeling, when the first flash of light peeked its anxious head.  Click, click, click went my medium format film camera.  Then all glory broke loose.  I finally finished my first subject of what would be a pre-dawn to post-dusk day, and I noticed that there was another car in the parking lot.  It was running (ah warmth) and I had no idea how long it had been there.  As I finally managed to gather my equipment in a haphazard manner and drag it back to my car, the window of the other car went down.  There was a young couple inside.  The young man said and I paraphrase, “I’ll bet you’re cold, we’ve got some warm cider in the car“.  “Would you like some”?  I would normally say no thank you, but this time I said yes.  The warm mug felt as good on my hands as the cider felt  in my stomach.  I thanked them and handed back the mug as they both wished me a Merry Christmas.  It was coming up in less than two weeks.  I wished them the same and have ever since held that morning in a special place in my heart.

A Merry Christmas to each of you and I wish for you many mornings like the one I had at Cave Point.