While we are amidst Christmas week heading into the New Year, I wanted to share a portion of the transcript of a recent podcast about my dad’s presence being felt during Christmas 2023. I’ve also edited to include things I may have missed in the original recording. Full podcast can be found HERE: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/58132813
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There were signs my dad was with us this Christmas. The first sign was a couple days before Christmas. I actually opened up a present that my dad gave me one of my many nap-sacks was a Ranger that my dad gave me and in it were a couple of Christmas cards from my dad. So that was sign number one. Okay, my pops is here right here with us in spirit. This was one of his favorite holidays.
Another sign my dad was with us took place on the LIRR. We saw a picture of a plastic bag staring right at us. Why was this important? There were always years where he would literally carry me and his plastic bags of Christmas goodies around, especially to my grandmother’s or to our Brooklyn home. It would be me in one hand or on his shoulder and a bunch of plastic bags in his hand trying to get from subways to buses.
Pretty amazing actually how much work he went to every Christmas, even Christmas day.
And I’ll always admire that.
Sign number three was when we were at our traditional Christmas home church, St. Thomas on Fifth Avenue and I lifted my palms up for outreach to the Lord and I felt the spirit of my dad in that church on Christmas Eve.
Sign number four was actually at one of the neonatal doctors retirement parties.
One of my NICU doctors invited me to a retirement party. My dad always kept a close connection to our neonatal support team as we visited the NICU on my birthday every year! The main NICU doctors that took care of myself, my dad, and my mom were all in one room this December. They showered a lot of love and expressed their thoughts and prayers with us on the loss of pops.
Wouldn’t you know it, next to the desserts at this dinner on the campus of Columbia University was a Polar Express train. I thought, man, that is my dad. He loved Christmas trains and gifting me with trains every Christmas. He loved setting me up with Christmas trains every year.
This year there he was, a polar express train next to the desserts another of his favorite pastimes, desserts. I feel like that was him saying, hey, I am with you this Christmas season. Sure enough, on Christmas day, my step-dad Vic got a train car as a Merry Christmas gift. I said, that is continuing my dad’s love of Christmas and trains and the Christmas train set in one form or another.
This Christmas there were a couple times where my eyes got moist because I either remember watching the movies like A Christmas Story or ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ with my dad. Certainly, there were memories of yester- year, olden days of yore, if you will, came pouring through at certain times this Christmas season. I’m thankful for my physical family here that got me through it. I am thankful for my mom Laurie Sue, my stepdad Vic, and my sister Abby who have been on this journey of grief and loss with me and helped me stay on track this entire year and Christmas season. I am most thankful for my fiancée, Gabriella who has kept me strong and uplifted behind the scenes of life as well.
One of the other poignant moments of this Christmas was that St. Thomas Church, the long time church of my dad and I went to for Christmas, lit a candle in honor of my dad. They also lit a candle celebrating Gabby and I getting engaged!
And I’m thankful that my dad was still with us in spirit and showed us that he was here in spirit and that God is taking care of his soul up in Heaven since April 15th, 2023.
Indeed, there were signs my dad was here with us as Christmas.
OneLegUpAlex 