It’s already the last day of January so one month down and 11 to go before it’s time for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s greetings to be shared with those we love. I have been on more than a few guilt trips because Jerry & I haven’t sent cards or letters for at least two years ☹ Ah, but then I found an old newspaper clipping “A newsletter just wasn’t in the cards” by the late great Erma Bombeck. This column is included in a collection of 195 columns that appear in the book Forever Erma, which I just requested from the library. Something tells me the guilt will be diminished after reading stories written by that funny lady. Here’s just a short exerpt from her column that originally appeared December 9, 1971:
“I regard the family Christmas newsletter with a mixture of nausea and jealousy—nausea because I could never abide anyone organized enough to chronicle a year of activities; jealousy because our family never does anything I can talk about on a religious holiday.” Erma goes on to say more in this column; but I love her closing remarks when she explains she and her family all sat silently contemplating their year. Armed with just Christmas cards (no newsletter), Erma told her clan, “No sense antagonizing the poor devils who sit around and do nothing all year.” Sigh………Jerry and I seriously love each of you and are happy you’re in our lives even when we repeatedly fail to stay in touch. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” Philippians 1:3
You just sent your Christmas letter in this post! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love you and Jerry! ❤️❤️❤️
What a great writing, Char, to help set us all free, seriously if need be, we all need to lighten up with the jobs and just make a phone call or write once in awhile to stay in touch with someone we love……….guilt isn’t fun😄😄😄
I love you❤️❤️❤️
Hugs
Glenda
No guilt trip necessary!
no guilt trip my dear. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Start a new trend and send a New Years Letter with all the activities, or lack of. Or better yet send a letter including all you hopes and dreams for the New Year! Love you precious Char
Charlotte – you crack me up. And we loved seeing you and Jerry a couple of weeks ago. I suggest that with Facebook, annual newsletters are now redundant for many people, but I think it can be good to stop for an hour and reflect on another year gone by. What DID we do this year? Was it good and pleasing before the Lord, or did we waste away the year in selfish pursuits? SORRY – too heavy I guess, but we are all so busy it is important to stop and see if we are off course.
But you missed the bigger question – do we take the time to read the annual letters that come in? And perhaps respond to someone who had a difficult year.
We didn’t read most of the letters right away. It was easy to put them aside for later. Glad we did get that accomplished, and yes we did respond to some of them. Love your idea about a newsletter later. Maybe we’ll do St.Patrick’s day one!