Christmas, 1944

Dear Diary,

This is the Christmas card my dad sent home during the war to his sister.  I think he was in Belgium at the time.  My cousin Mary gave it to me when I visited and it is so touching to see this old paper and his handwriting on the back.  I have several of his letters as well and in all of them he mentions my aunt's children.  He had been married to my mother for three years but they had had no children before he left for the war. He was godfather to my aunt's oldest child.

I seem to be in a very retro-mood lately.  I enjoyed another old movie last night, After the Thin Man, and tomorrow night I will watch the classic, It's a Wonderful Life.  And for me, it has been a wonderful life.  A perfect life?  Hardly.  But whose is?  I am very content with what I have.

This afternoon is my usual visit with Dotty who has had a wonderful life as well and I will bring this card with me so we can talk about her memories of the war years.  She married her husband after the war and he served in Europe, mainly Italy I believe.  Dotty has been a blessing to me all the years I have lived here.  In many ways, she has been like a mother to me and for that I am very grateful.   Yes, it has been a wonderful life and I am blessed to have had so many older women during my life that mentored me.  That is the greatest gift of all.