Yet Another Rebirth!

Yes people, Xmas 2010 has arrived, as the tail end of yet another year of life! I'm happy to take a little trip out to Long Island to see my godson's family & share the holiday with everyone.

Interesting note I didn't put in the last entry about my godson -- the fact that I happen to be Jewish, but was given the honor of being named his godfather according to the customs of the Presbyterian Church. When his parents gave me this honor, I thought to myself briefly, "Is this OK? Am I abandoning something that's part of me? Am I flying the flag of a foreign nation? Is something not right about this?"

I answered myself, NO. This baby's christening is not about me. That day is HIS day, and not mine. It is he who is being baptized in the faith his parents chose, and I'm just agreeing to lend some long-range moral support. And so I did lend it -- at the church, I can remember bellowing my part of he ceremony, so they could hear me in the rear pews, "I WILL, WITH G-D'S HELP!"

(those of you who were at my wedding would witness my continuination of the tradition of bellowing at the altar, when I said "I DO!" and followed up with passionate exhortations of the Hebrew vows.)

And so it goes with tonight's holiday. Growing up as the sole Jewish family on a quiet street in Baldwin, our parents had us share Xmas and Chanukah with neighbors and friends. This year, Chanukah did not directly conicide with Xmas, but the feelings of that holiday extend to all Americans, regardless of faith or stripe. I'm going to play with a bunch of kids who've always made me happy, make them laugh, and remind them that this is a fun, magical time of year!

Down the road, I hope to do what other godparents do -- try to remind him to stay on the straight and narrow. Right now, he's only three, so the only morality he needs to understand is to not fight with his older brother too much. As time goes on, I'll send him a Bible, and sit him down to talk about basic decency & respect. This may be as simple as telling him not to do something just because all the stupid kids at school are doing it, or reminding him that Mom & Dad are not out to get him. Or maybe just lending an ear if he's really got some issues that he doesn't want to tell anyone else. We shall see . . . .

Anyway, I want to plug a common-sense self-help blog that a really admire. Go to howtogetagrip.com, and you'll be astounded! This guy has the best way of saying things, and it's something many of us forget. Definitely check him out, and tell him I sent you!

In the meantime, next week I'll blog about New Year's Resolutions -- the ones I want to keep, and the ones we all should!

Peace on Earth, and Goodwill Towards Men!