It's All About Love

I have over six decades of perspective when it comes to December 25^th. It always makes me think about my maternal grandparents.

Jim and Evelyn Hodge were very common Southern Illinois folk. Jim grew up in Nashville and Evelyn in Ashley. They grew up in the depression. There was nothing….and I mean nothing to celebrate. Jim and his family hunted to eat, When he was old enough to, he jumped on the trains that rolled through Washington County and rode them around the country.

Against that backdrop, he learned of work at an ammunition plant near Alton and went there to land a job that he would keep for decades. She raised their two kids. One, of course, was my mother.

I tell you that so you understood their meager beginnings. He only had an 8^th grade education. She never understood my going back to college when I was 40.

I told her, “Grandma, I’m wanting to get my doctorate.” She said, “Michael, if you can’t be healing anyone…you can’t be a doctor.”

They were the best grandparents anyone could have ever hoped for. They were honest and worked their fingers to the bone so that they could find the perfect gift to always make my Christmas magical.

I know I pale in comparison as a grandparent. Their standard was so high….so difficult to duplicate.

The best gift I ever got was a gold Schwinn Stingray with a white banana seat. It was the corvette of its time. I took care of it. I valued it.

They gave it freely, out of love and...by doing so…. transmitted incredible joy to their ten-year-old grandson.

My wish for you on this Christmas Eve is that type of joy.  You see, I was smart enough even back then to know it wasn’t about getting a cool bike. 

It was about being loved.