The Real Holiday Letter

“For once, I’d like to get a real Christmas letter,” Mary Rose McGill said, carefully putting what was obviously a Christmas letter back into its envelope.

They were gathered at Table 12 in the Meadow Lakes dining room sharing donuts and a large pot of coffee.

“Like one that says, ‘My son’s drug business went down the toilet, he’s in jail, and we don’t have the money for bail. To donate, send a check to the return address,” Marge Aaron said.

“Or like my Jewish cousin in Chicago,” Hadley Joy Morris-Whitfield added, “who years ago began his Hanukkah letter with details of his vasectomy.” They laughed.

Robinson Leary grinned and patted her hand on the table. “I’ve got the one,” she smiled. “I’ve got the one! I was at a really nice Creighton University alumni lunch last week. Country Club. Elegant. Christmas music in the background. Then one of the ladies at my table asked the lady beside her the question you always get at our age, ‘Do you have children and grandchildren, and are they here in town?’

“And here is the answer she got, ‘Yes, I have three children, all in town, and seven grandchildren. One grandchild is in a wheelchair, and three others don’t speak to me because I’m a political progressive."

“That was followed by a moment of silence, then the lady asking the question said, ‘My daughter is 44, pregnant, doesn’t have a clue who the father is, and just finished her third bout in alcohol rehab.’

“The lady at the end of the table said, “My son was a druggie and a dealer, spent three years in prison, and now can’t get a good job because he’s a felon.’

“The lady next to me said, ‘My husband’s brother just moved in with us. He beat his wife, broke her arm, gave her bruises, and now he’s in our basement. I hate the SOB.’

“Then, and I kid you not, the lady beside me leaned forward, held her finger in the air and said, ‘My grandson….’ And right at the point, the microphone came on, and our hostess said:

“I want to welcome all you ladies to our lovely Christmas lunch.”

“We had the real Holiday Letter fight there at our table,” Robbie finished.

“As I always say,” Marge put in, “Everybody has something. The functional American family is a myth.”

And they lifted their coffee cups in agreement.

---

A Note from Joy

It is true. Everybody has something – a family tragedy, a crisis, health issues, broken hearts.

It always helps me to realize that every time I talk to someone, they have really bad days, too.

Be kind. Be brave. Have Good courage, bravery, and strength. And be BOOB Girl Proud. You worked hard to get this old.

Three for Thirty

$30.00

Buy Now