Elmer’s Glue by Dr. Juan Harrison

I was pulling out some envelopes from my desk in search of an address for a Christmas card to send to a friend.  There in the clutter was a thank you note from a young relative heading to college.  He was thanking us, especially my wife, for all the years of making our home the center of gatherings for the family clan for all holidays and generally being open for any unscheduled visits.  Ironically, just a few days earlier another young relative had voiced similar comments about the importance of us, especially my wife, continuing to always have family holiday celebrations here at the old homestead.

Like many of you over the years, you’ve experienced feeling overwhelmed from Thanksgiving on to the New Year.  Fatigue—mental, physical, financial can set in.  I’ve seen the wife literally exhausted as she tries to keep a handle on food preparation, decorating, present ordering, and a million other details needing attention to help make it a great season for all the family, her little school students, and our Sunday School class.

The comments from the young folks reminded us more than ever of families breaking up and markers and long standing traditions disappearing before our eyes.  We all miss, and the young ones hunger for, something stable to hang their hat on.

For you old warriors out there still fighting the good fight of trying to do your part in holding the family and your traditions together, pat yourself on the back.  Powerful forces seem to be attacking all areas of our lives, especially the family.  Hopelessness and gloom dominate our news.  Anne Murray once sang about the need for a little good news.

Don’t give up the ship. Hold on as long as you can to those holidays and traditions your families have celebrated for years.  It almost feels like it’s the glue that helps hold our society as a civilized nation together.  I think we’ve taken them for granted in recent years.  We better pay closer attention to what matters.

To all you mamas, grand, and great grandmothers out there still toiling away at making our holidays special, we thank you.  While we’re still of able mind and body, hopefully you might begin to help identify and train those younger replacements as us olders have to eventually pass the baton.  Celebrations are part of who we are as a country and a people.  May we still find those family members willing to take on the mantle of chief joy provider in a time when we’re rapidly coming unglued at the seams as a nation.