Angel Wings

It's that time of year, when I start missing people. I think a lot of people have a similar experience. It's Christmas, and I miss one family tradition the most. For the first 33 years of my life, my family met at my Grandparents' home in Tarrytown, NY. That's the whole family- my father and his three siblings, and all their kids. There would be 21 of us each holiday season, they picked a weekend near Christmas and infallibly we would all gather. Sometimes my Uncle Dick's family couldn't make it, because he was active duty Air Force stationed all over the place, but for the most part we were all there.

My PaPa died in '98, a year after my wedding...and I have missed him deeply ever since. Not because I knew him well, because I don't think I did. He was 91 when he died, and he was an interesting fellow. But the thing I remember and miss the most was his creative spirit, and the way he encouraged it in others. He would say that he loved his job, and felt very sorry for people who were not able to do something that they loved every single day. He worked at the World Trade Center- thank goodness he was long retired by the time of the terrorist attacks. He made these cute little reindeer....

And I always think of him anytime I start thinking about following my dreams and being an artist rather than taking a "job." I also find myself missing my mothers, my uncles, and my cats and dog that have left this earth.... It's hard, and I empathize with all of you that are missing someone this season.

These angel wings are for my PaPa....