Christmas 2005
Here's the link in case you missed it:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5028755
The more I read about the poverty the boy & his family had to live in, the more I thought of Masha. His appreciation of his orange reminded me so much of her and the other kids there at the orphanage.
I imagine that until her mother died, Christmas for her was a fairly regular Russian style event. Not so commercial as in the US; more about family & food & faith and less about things & gifts. This year will be her second Christmas in the orphanage and I have to think that there really isn't much in the way of celebration that will happen there. They really don't have the resources to do much more than probably a good meal and gather themselves together. And then I contrast that image with what the rest of her Christmases will be like in the future. And I feverently hope that we will be able to still keep the focus on the meaning of the holiday, the importance of family & tradition, and not so much on the "stuff". (Grandparents -- Be warned!)
It makes me very sad to know that she'll be on the other side of the world this year at the holidays, but I know that once she's home, she also won't be lacking for anything. And in a way, it is sad that she won't be here, but I also realize that the holidays are a stressful, overwhelming time for many people, including me. And perhaps in a way, it's better that she come home, after the craziness is done, and she has 8-10 months or so to learn some English before she has to handle her first American Christmas.
Michael & I have seen some ugly abject poverty this year in our travels, and I run into it on a daily basis with the families I encounter through my work, (In the year 2005, how is it that so many people in Fort Worth live without a phone or regular electricity, and how is it that they manage to take home a 5 pound preemie and care for the baby?) and so right now, today, I'm feeling very grateful for all that I have, all the family whom I have, and how well in the balance of things, life has treated me to this point.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5028755
The more I read about the poverty the boy & his family had to live in, the more I thought of Masha. His appreciation of his orange reminded me so much of her and the other kids there at the orphanage.
I imagine that until her mother died, Christmas for her was a fairly regular Russian style event. Not so commercial as in the US; more about family & food & faith and less about things & gifts. This year will be her second Christmas in the orphanage and I have to think that there really isn't much in the way of celebration that will happen there. They really don't have the resources to do much more than probably a good meal and gather themselves together. And then I contrast that image with what the rest of her Christmases will be like in the future. And I feverently hope that we will be able to still keep the focus on the meaning of the holiday, the importance of family & tradition, and not so much on the "stuff". (Grandparents -- Be warned!)
It makes me very sad to know that she'll be on the other side of the world this year at the holidays, but I know that once she's home, she also won't be lacking for anything. And in a way, it is sad that she won't be here, but I also realize that the holidays are a stressful, overwhelming time for many people, including me. And perhaps in a way, it's better that she come home, after the craziness is done, and she has 8-10 months or so to learn some English before she has to handle her first American Christmas.
Michael & I have seen some ugly abject poverty this year in our travels, and I run into it on a daily basis with the families I encounter through my work, (In the year 2005, how is it that so many people in Fort Worth live without a phone or regular electricity, and how is it that they manage to take home a 5 pound preemie and care for the baby?) and so right now, today, I'm feeling very grateful for all that I have, all the family whom I have, and how well in the balance of things, life has treated me to this point.
posted by T. at 12/13/2005 09:23:00 PM
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