by Father Mark Goldasich
November is my favorite month. It’s always been a time for celebration.
When I was in school, this month began with a free day to celebrate All Saints. My family also had a slew of birthdays in November: My dad, a cousin, an uncle, several aunts — and I — all got to enjoy cards, cakes and presents.
Veterans Day was also special since many in the family had served in the armed forces. This included all six of my mom’s brothers, as well as my dad and his brother. We thanked God not only for their sacrifice but also that all of them survived the war.
And naturally, the month ended with the feasting of Thanksgiving and the welcoming of the holiday season.
Another thing we celebrated was the memory of all who died. On All Souls’ Day, we’d head to the cemetery to “make the rounds,” taking holy water to sprinkle on the graves of relatives and friends as we talked about our memories of them. It wasn’t morbid; instead, it was an opportunity to be grateful to people who influenced our lives and to challenge ourselves to carry on their legacy and their faith.
November encourages us to never take our gift of life for granted. We’re called to treasure each day. This meditation reminds me of that:
“There are two days in the week upon which I never worry — two carefree days kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday. Yesterday — with its cares and fret and pains and aches, all its faults, its mistakes and blunders — has passed forever beyond my recall. It was mine; it is now God’s.
“The other day I do not worry about is Tomorrow. Tomorrow — with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its perils, its large promise and performance, its failures and mistakes — is as far beyond my mastery as its dead sister, Yesterday. Tomorrow is God’s day; it will be mine later.
“There is left then, for myself, but one day in the week — Today. Any man can fight the battles of today. Any woman can carry the burdens of just one day. . . . It is only when we willfully add the burden of these two awful eternities — Yesterday and Tomorrow (such burdens as only the mighty God can sustain) — that we break down.
“It isn’t the experience of Today that drives people mad. It is the remorse of what happened Yesterday and fear of what Tomorrow might bring. Yesterday and Tomorrow are God’s days . . . leave them to him.” (Adapted from “God’s Days,” found In Meir Liraz’s “Top 100 Motivational Stories.”)
It’s said that each day is a gift; that’s why they call it the “present.” November reminds me to savor each day, even the difficult or too busy ones . . . or those birthdays that seem to come faster and faster. And maybe most importantly, to be thankful for the blessings of the friends and family whose lives I’m privileged to share.
Ponder this cautionary tale told by Leslie Flynn:
In Vermont, a farmer was sitting on the porch with his wife. He was beginning to realize how much she meant to him. It was about time — they’d been married for 52 years, and she’d been a support, a friend, a very willing worker.
As they sat together, the man said, “Wife, you’ve been such a wonderful woman that there are times I can hardly keep from telling you!” (Adapted from “Almost Expressed Thanks,” found in “Illustrations Unlimited,” edited by James S. Hewett.)
Don’t be that guy. Let the people you love know how you feel. And if that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is!
