SHARE

 

An Electronic Magazine by Omar Villarreal and Marina Kirac ©

 

Year 3                                   Number 62                    December 24th 2001

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Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being SHARED

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Dear SHARERS,

 

Today is a special day. For our family, the most special day of the year.

Tonight Christ, our Lord is born and there is no room for sorrow.

We thank God that we can celebrate this Christmas with peace re- established in our country and we pray for the families of all those who lost their lives in these most atrocious circumstances we have just left behind.

To  all of you, dear friends and SHARERS who have sent us countless e-cards, personal messages, stories, pictures and all your love in your  Christmas mails :

a huge THANK YOU.

THANK YOU for this and thank you for being there always.

 

Love

 

Omar and Marina

 

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In SHARE 62

 

1..-     A Christmas Story : Christmas Love.

2..-    Three Wise Men or Three Wise Women?

3.-     A Tale of Two Christmases.

4.-     Spanglish Santa.

5.-     Some Silly Christmas Humour.

 

Plus :  Our Personal Christmas Message

 

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1.-  A CHRISTMAS STORY : CHRISTMAS LOVE

 

Our dear SHARER Bethina Viale sends us this beautiful story with this “enormous” message : “Los quiero re-mucho” . We too.

 

CHRISTMAS LOVE

 

     Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations -- extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.  Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

     My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year.  It was an exciting season for a six year old.  For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."  I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production.

     Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher.  She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

     So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in 10 minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down.  Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.  As I waited, the students were led into the room.  Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor.  Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.  Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas", I didn't expect anything other

than fun, commercial entertainment -- songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.  So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love", I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

     Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.     Those in the front row -- center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.

     As the class would sing "C is for Christmas", a child would hold up the letter C.  Then, "H is for Happy", and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love".

     The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her -- a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -- totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".

     The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake.  But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".

     Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.  A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.  In that instant, we understood -- the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.

 

     For when the last letter was held high, the message did not read CHRIST- MAS- LOVE , instead it read loud and clear :  CHRIST- WAS -LOVE.

    

And, I believe, He still is.

 

Candy Chand  

 

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2.-         THREE WISE MEN OR THREE WISE WOMEN?

 

Our dear SHARER from Adrogué, Cecilia Vazquez Domeq,  sends us this message that she calls “ A Thought for Christmas”.

Let us use this as our tribute to all those wonderful women SHARERS, mothers, wives, friends, aunts, grannies, colleagues, that make our life sweeter and easier.

 

 

Do you know what would have happened

If it had been Three Wise Women

Instead of Three Wise Men?

They would have asked directions,

Arrived on time,

Helped deliver the baby,

Cleaned the stable,

Made a casserole,

Brought practical gifts and

There would be Peace On Earth.

 

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3.-     A TALE OF TWO CHRISTMASES

 

Our dear friend and SHARER , Alberto Acuña sends us these two poems by Jim Smith. We are sure our SHARERS will always be able to choose the right.

 

 

It is the worst of times. It is the best of times.

The Christmas you have depends upon you.

May you be blessed to follow the Light and choose the right.

 

 

A ”Fake” Christmas Poem

 

C is for Credit Cards that make buying a breeze.

H is for your Headache when your cards are seized.

R is for Remembering everyone on your list.

I is for feeling Insulted when your gifts are missed.

S is for feeling Stressed when you're on the fly.

T is for the Truckloads of presents that you buy.

M is for your Massive debt that soars into the sky.

A is for the Awful feeling that you've gone astray.

S is for your Sorrow and the tears you'll shed today.

 

 

The True Christmas Poem

 

C is for the Christ child lying in a manger.

H is for the Holy One who saved us all from danger.

R is to Remember Him who died that we may live.

I is to Inspire us that we may always give.

S is for joyful Songs and sacred hymns that praise.

T is to Thank the Lord for showing us the way.

M is for the Miracles that bless us each day.

A is for the Almighty who always puts us first.

S is for the Shepherd who guides us on earth.

 

 

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4.-         SPANGLISH SANTA   

 

Our dear SHARER from Bahía Blanca, Sandra Elisabet Guber sends us this very original poem. A typical example of “wearing two hats” both linguistically and socio-culturally. Forget about the two hats. Today concentrate only on Santa´s hat.

 

 

It was the night before Christmas

and all through the casa,

Not a creature was stirring

Caramba! Que pasa?

Los niños were tucked

away in their camas,

Some in long underwear,

some in pijamas,

While hanging the stockings

with mucho cuidado

In hopes that old Santa

would feel obligado.

To bring all children,

both buenos and malos,

A nice batch of dulces

and other regalos.

Outside in the yard

there arose such a grito

That I jumped to my feet

like a fightened cabrito.

I ran to the window

and looked out afuera,

And who in the world

do you think that it era?

Saint Nick in a sleigh

and a big red sombrero

Came dashing along

like a crazy bombero.

And standing erect

with his hands on his pecho

He flew to the top

of our very own techo.

With his round little belly

like a bowl of jalea,

He struggled to squeeze

down our old chimenea,

Then huffing and puffing

at last in our sala,

With soot smeared

all over his red suit de gala,

He filled all the stockings

with lovely regalos --

For none of the niños

had been very malos.

Then chuckling aloud,

seeming very contento,

He turned like a flash

and was gone like the viento.

And I heard him exclaim,

and this is verdad,

"Merry Christmas to

all, and Feliz Navidad!"

 

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5.-     SOME SILLY CHRISTMAS HUMOUR

 

 

Our dear SHARER,  Damián Ardiles from Uruguay sends us this collection of “wisecracks”( he calls them “silly bits”). You can use next year in your classes with the little ones ( and in the meantime enjoy them yourselves!)

 

What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?

It's Christmas, Eve!

 

What do you have in December that you don't have in any other month?

The letter "D!"

 

What does Father Christmas suffer from if he gets stuck in a chimney?

Santa Claustrophobia!

 

What disasters could happen if you dropped the Christmas turkey?

The downfall of Turkey, the breakup of China, and the overthrow of Greece!

 

Who delivers presents to baby sharks at Christmas?

Santa Jaws!

 

Where do snowmen go to dance?

Snow balls!

 

What did the guest sing at the Eskimo's Christmas party?

Freeze a jolly fellow!

 

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OUR PERSONAL CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

 

NOCHEBUENA  (Un cuento breve de Eduardo Galeano)

 

“ Fernando Silva dirige el hospital de niños en Managua.

 

En vísperas de Navidad, se quedó  trabajando hasta muy tarde. Ya estaban sonando los cohetes, y empezaban los fuegos artificiales a iluminar el cielo, cuando Fernando decidió marcharse. En su casa lo esperaban para festejar.

 

Hizo una  última recorrida por las salas, viendo si todo quedaba en orden, y en eso estaba cuando sintió que unos pasos lo seguían. Unos pasos de algodón; se volvió  y descubrió que uno de los enfermitos le andaba atrás. En la penumbra lo reconoció. Era un niño que estaba solo. Fernando reconoció su cara ya marcada por la muerte y esos ojos que pedían disculpas o quizá pedían permiso.

 

Fernando se acercó y el niño lo rozó con la mano: -Decile a... -susurró  el niño- Decile a alguien, que yo estoy aquí.”

 

En estos días de profunda crisis es muy fácil caer en la tristeza, la angustia, el desaliento y la bronca..

Que este cuento (que por otra parte tiene tanto de real) nos ayude en estas Fiestas a pensar en todo lo mucho que tenemos y mirar con misericordia a todos aquellos que tan poco tienen. Cada uno sabrá como ayudar a su hermano, desde lo material, desde la palabra o desde la oración sincera.

 

A todos Ustedes, queridos amigos, y a sus familias les deseamos que Dios los bendiga mucho y que tengan una Santa Navidad.

 

Los abrazan con el corazón

 

Omar y Marina.

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