Friday, April 19, 2013

Family Celebrations

My granddaughter makes her First Communion this Sunday.  She has a white dress and veil for the occasion.  This rite of passage actually makes me a little sad.  Like most children she is growing up way too fast.  I still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday and this coming summer she will be nine years old.  In what will seem like the blink of an eye, she will be a teen-ager!  As my only grandchild, she has brought great joy into my life.  I especially appreciate having a granddaughter since my children are boys and I never had a daughter.  This event is the first of several significant events that will be happening in my family over the next six weeks.  In the month of May, my youngest son graduates from the seminary with his Master’s Degree and a few weeks later he will be ordained a priest and celebrate his first Mass.  My oldest son will turn 35 years old.  It is a wakeup call for me, and most likely for him as well, to realize that he is pushing 40.  In fact, just a few days ago my wife had lunch with my youngest son and said to him, “I don’t think you and your brother get it that Dad and I are getting old”.  Children don’t always realize that as they grow up their parents are growing older.  The week before my son is ordained I will be seeing the Dalai Lama in person.  After the First Communion, the graduation, the birthday, the ordination, the first Mass, and the parties for all of the above, my wife and I will be, in her words, “worn out and broke”.  It’s a good thing I will be receiving some enlightenment from the Dalai Lama!       

1 comment:

Helen said...

Michael, I loved reading about all your celebrations. You are blessed in many ways and I know you know it. I'm sure once you wrote this paragraph you whispered to yourself: life is good.