An Unforeseen Dilemma

 After spending a wonderful time for Christmas with my California family, it was time to leave. The weather had been perfect and now I was ready to head home to where it was cold! I packed the night before and in the morning I was driven to the airport. I was impressed by the first worker I encountered at the outside check-in. He was cheerful, happy and attentive as he left his post to go find me a wheelchair. I watched him go up and down the crowded area until he found a fellow who came to tell me he would return for me after taking another lady to her gate.  He said, "I will come back to push you, but in the meantime, I will try to find someone to come take you so you don't have to wait."

A petite young lady showed up and took me to Gate 18 with a stop at the bathroom. After waiting for about forty-five minutes a fellow passenger asked me what flight I was on. She said, "We are on that flight also and they just announced that we need to go to Gate 22." Another passenger asked if he could push me and off we went looking for Gate 22 which happened to be a floor down. We waited and right before boarding, the worker announced that our flight had been cancelled. There was a flurry surrounding the counter with everyone asking what they should do. I sat in my wheelchair and a young attendant came to explain to me that it would probably be after the 1st of the year when I would be able to get out. That the computers were frozen and they would not be able to reschedule any flights. She said, "It is my understanding that none of the flights are going out, they have all been cancelled. I will take you down to baggage claim so you can get your luggage. Call your family to come pick you up."

I got my baggage, called my daughter and now I am on an extended vacation until January 1, 2023 when SW scheduled me to fly out. We tried to reschedule but could not find anything. If we do find a flight it is costing from $500 to over $1000 and arriving after midnight. We see notices that Southwest will refund any money we have to spend because of the cancellation yet I have been trying to get a hold of Southwest to find out exactly what they refund. No one answers the phone and all I get is a busy signal. Wednesday morning I dialed Southwest's number and after two hours of waiting on the phone it was answered. 

Finally, after much searching, the clerk was able to find me a flight on Saturday, December 31, that would arrive at DIA  at 2:45 in the afternoon. I did not like that it was not a direct flight since there was a stopover in Salt Lake City. I will not hold my breath because the news is still reporting many delays and luggage problems. I decided to lighten my load I would mail some of my clothing and gifts home and I would only have one bag.

Everything changes when one is not expecting to be visiting longer than expected. I now had to go pick up more medication from my health provider and do laundry. On December 30, my family got together for dinner and as we sat around chatting my daughter said, "There is a flight leaving tomorrow at 6:15 in the morning. I wonder why they couldn't have scheduled that for you. It's a direct flight to Denver."

I said I would have preferred that flight and immediately the computer savvy family got into my computer and phone and somehow transferred the flight to the earlier one. The box to be mailed was ready and I repacked so I would not have to check any bag since Southwest still seemed to be having problems. In the morning we left for the airport in the dark, did not encounter any traffic, at the airport I got a wheelchair to take me to the gate, and prayed that the early morning flight would get me to Denver. It did.

I made the connection with the RTD bus leaving DIA at 11:20 and after getting picked up from Flatirons by a friend, I was happy to be home by 12:30 p.m. 

Even though there was a lot of snow, my walks and driveway had been cleared by a neighbor and the house was still standing, so I was a tired but happy camper!

"It was bad news to find out that Southwest

had cancelled most of its flights on the day 

I was coming home. All I can say is

that the workers were polite,

 kind and ready to help. I admire their

professionalism in trying to give

out information but they themselves

seem to not have had any prior notice 

of what was to transpire! My thanks to those

hard-working, smiling Southwest employees!"

E. Moscoso

A Warm Body In My Bed

 My family and I had been celebrating Christmas most of the day. I attended mass at 9:30 a.m., they drank coffee and ate chocolate croissants and then we drove to my son-in-law's annual Christmas party in Dana Point. I enjoy seeing everyone and I love the camaraderie between the family. There is always good food, lively conversation, and gifts handed out!

By the time it is time to leave the party, I was feeling tired, and even though it was still early in the evening, I felt as if I wanted to take a nap. We got home and by nine o'clock I went to bed and slept until 2:30 a.m. I went to the bathroom and when I returned to my bed the room was dark and I squinted to see better. There was a shadow on my bed that I thought was the bedspread. I blinked a few times trying to focus on the dark area. Instead of getting into bed, I reached over to touch the dark area. I don't know who was more frightened, me or Finn. Finn is the family dog that as long as I have known he has never gotten into my bed. He jumped off, with a rattle of his collar, and ran for his own bed!

I am happy I didn't get into bed like I usually do because I would have landed right on top of Finn, and that would have been even scarier! It amazes me that in less than five minutes he could enter the room and jump into my bed! At least, he kept my bed warm until I returned from the bathroom!

I don't usually

sleep on the bed,

but when I do,

I steal your spot."

A dog on Pinterest

A Slack Guitar

 While visiting my family in California, they took me to a Hawaiian Christmas Concert and that's where I learned about a Hawaiian slack key guitar. The performer was Jim Kimo West accompanied by a singer and two Hawaiian hula dancers. A wonderful program with lots of Christmas music and my favorite was Sleigh Ride because he asked the audience to take out what ever made a noise and to rattle it as he sang. Car keys were pulled out and to my surprise, it sounded like sleigh bells ringing!  As I looked around, everyone was in a happy mood as they smiled and jiggled their keys! Some of the popular songs we joined in and sang along with him. The show was perfect to get me in a holiday mood!

Since I had never heard of a slack key guitar, I looked it up on Google. It has something to do with Hawaiin's not liking the stiff strings on classical guitars and by loosening some of the strings and that is where the slack comes in. "Finger style genre of guitar music that originated in Hawaii after Portuguese cowboys introduced Spanish guitars in the late 19th Century." The Hawaiian word is Ki ho 'alu, which means "loosening of the strings." I could not tell the difference, all I noticed was that the music was sharp and clear!

There were two hula dancers: a male and female. They both moved in sync as they danced in graceful movements to interpret the songs. A lady sitting next to me told me she was from Fullerton but had been to Hawaii many times and she knew how to hula. Sure enough, when White Christmas was played, she began to move her hands along with the dancers on the stage. She seemed to know what she was doing!

The location of the concert was at Muckenthaler mansion that has been converted into a cultural center. During intermission we looked around at the magnificent fireplaces, photographs, and a large stained-glass window.

It was a lovely evening listening to Christmas music and watching graceful hula dancing accompanied by the singers. A lady sitting in front of me was all decked out and waiting for Christmas to arrive!

"Mele Kalikimaka" 

Merry Christmas in Hawaiian

Soccer on Sunday

 

I am not a soccer fan though I have sat through quite a few games. First watching my then husband, then my son and daughter, and finally my grandson and granddaughters. Today, my Sunday morning from eight to eleven I was on the Peacock station watching the final game of the World Cup. Even though I do not consider myself a fan, I did watch the final game with Argentina versus France.  For the longest time Argentina was up with two points and France had zero. When France scored one goal on a penalty kick and then followed with another goal, the score was tied 2-2!

On the television screen, the field looked huge and the players looked small as they moved across the field back and forth. I had to turn the volume down because the announcers were loud and talking in excited voices. I could not understand what they were saying in Spanish and the closed captions could not keep up with the announcers.

My thoughts were on my son who began playing soccer at the age of five and I watched him play until he was nineteen. I would be on the sidelines no matter what the weather! After nineteen he played on adult leagues, and I did not go to those games. I remember he told me that keeping up with younger players was getting harder since he was in his thirties!

Today, as I watched the action in front of the goal posts, my heart raced and I would feel myself getting  excited. The running back and forth on the field bored me until another flurry near the goal area where it looked as if one team, or the other, was getting ready to score. I cheered for Argentina, but it did not matter to me who won. I had read about a fellow by the name of Messi and had seen a documentary about him and it made me curious as why he was considered the best player. After today's game I understand why he is the GOAT or Greatest Of All Times! I was happy that he got his first World Cup Trophy.

Two great teams battled on the field and when the announcer yelled his popular goooooooooal I knew Argentina had won! Grown men crying, smiling, jumping, huddling, hugging. etc. and the announcer's voice broke as he became emotional at the win.

My son would have loved this game because he loved soccer and I enjoyed it even though I am not that much into the game!

"I am the happiest man

alive and I am happy for myself,

for my family and for my country."

Lionel Messi

The Box

 The day was windy and I saw trash containers knocked over. Everybody hurried to straighten up the containers so the trash trucks could pick them up.  Later, the recyclable trucks rumbled through the street picking up the recyclables. I rolled the empty containers into the garage. When I looked in my front yard there was a large box with Home Depot written on its side. I felt anger that someone, maybe one of my neighbors, had not put the box in their recyclables. I picked it up and threw it into my bin for the following week yet felt upset that one of my neighbors had just let the box fly away. If it had been my box, I would have chased the box and not let it land in someone else's yard.

Three days later, I was preparing some gifts to be mailed to my family in California. One gift was large and heavy and I thought I would drive to the USP store and buy a box. Then, I remembered the sturdy box I found in my yard and was in my recyclable bin. I went out to the garage and brought the box inside. It was perfect to mail the gifts.

My first thought was to thank God. He knew that I would need a box to mail my stuff and maybe he told the angels to put it in my front yard! I felt bad that I had been angry and upset with neighbors and realized that no matter what happens in our lives, we should accept it and not get upset, because God may have another idea for what we think is a problem!

"Angels represent God's personal care

 for each one of us."

Andrew Greeley

A Diabetic's Hell

 Even though it may be bad for diabetics, it is pure heaven for everyone else. The minute we entered the building, the smell of candy attacked my nose! 

Today some friends and I went on a tour of Hammond's Candies and saw how the famous candy is made. First, we watched a video letting us know that in 1920, Carl T. Hammond opened a candy store in Denver. His motto was "Nothing is more important than quality." The machinery he began using in 1920 is still in use today and we were told that finding parts for the equipment is very difficult. We followed the tour guide and looked through two large windows to see workers pulling and flattening the different colored slabs of candy.

  

The Hammond family kept expanding the store and moving to different locations until the company was sold and ended up on 58th and Washington in Adams County. The new owner still believes in quality and the candy is sold worldwide. The company employs around 300 workers and most of the candy is hand pulled. We watched as a workers pulled and stretched the slabs and how large shears were used to cut the long sheets of candy. We were told that 4000 pounds of candy are produced daily.

When I was growing up my mother would go to Woolworth and buy colorful hard candy and it was always purchased around Christmas time. I don't know if the candy of my past was Hammond's, though they currently make it, and it very well could have been their candy. Ribbon candy, marshmallow, chocolate, lollypops in two different colors and many other varieties of candy are made. I purchased a can of salted caramel cocoa and some chocolate chip marshmallows.

After the tour we shopped and were amazed at the variety of candy Hammond's makes and surprised that the majority of candy is still done the same way as in 1920! The four of us joined other shoppers to purchase candy for ourselves or for gifts.

                                                  

The candy bars were different flavors, and I tasted the white chocolate key lime pie and it was excellent. One in our group bought the lemon meringue bar but there were many other flavors, such as banana cream, soda pop, pig and tators, red velvet. chicken and waffle, PBJ and Bourbon Pecan. There were many others but too many to list in this blog!

I liked the oops section where if there is a slight error in the making of the candy, it is put in the oops area and sold at a discount! We were given a green, white and blue oops lollypop and it looked perfect to me.

This tour is free, interesting and fun with lots of candies to see and buy! Thanks to the friend who suggested it and I am sure we will return, not so much for the tour, but to buy all the neat and unusual sweet items!

"Don't wreck a sublime

chocolate experience

by feeling guilty."

Lora Brody

A Dinner to Celebrate Christmas

 The house was decorated with candles, a Christmas tree, angels and greenery. Five "chicks" arrived around 5:30 in that evening to enjoy a warm rum drink! We were given sparkling antlers that we wore most of the evening. The table was beautifully set with napkin holders made of birds and around white cloth napkins.

 

We sipped our drinks and talked about everything under the sun. It doesn't matter how often we get together; we always find something to talk about. When it was time to eat the vegetarian lentil chili was heated along with the green chili and cheese tamales. Shredded cheese, Fritos and sour cream were ready to put on top of the chili. I missed the onions and even though the hostess said she could go chop some up, I told her she didn't need to do it because I was the only one that wanted the onion. It was a tasty meal! The lady who made the chili was kind enough to make one without cumen because I do not like that spice and one that was gluten free for another lady who can't eat anything with flour. The cook did say she would no longer make three different types of chili. She could probably put cumen in mine and I might not even know the difference, but the gluten free lady would get ill if she ate something that wasn't gluten free. For dessert we had gluten free cake!

Our hostess had some antique looking wooden puzzles that we put together. She was planning on giving them to a neighbor with children. I read them the story of The Legend of the Poinsettia instead of the traditional Twas the Night Before Christmas. Some of us exchanged gifts! Every year we tell each other that we won't exchange gifts, but, who listens?! 

There are six in the group and we always have a fun time regardless of what we do. One member of our group was out of town, so she was unable to be with us and we missed her.  I am thankful that we became friends and enjoy each other's company! "Chicks" are best friends forever!

"There is nothing on this earth

more prized than true friendship."

Thomas Aquinas

Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

 December 12 is the actual feast date of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I spoke with our priest about having a ceremony of a procession of flowers for Her at the 9:00 a.m. daily mass. He thought it would be a good idea, so I contacted the Liturgist and the music director to plan the morning.

I began my search for someone to lead the singing of Las Mananitas, the traditional birthday song for Hispanics. I found a fellow from Mexico and also a husband and wife who used to sing at parties and church. The couple met with the music director for a quick practice a few days before the 12th. This is when I found out that there are many different verses to the song, so we settled for the one the couple knew.

On Sunday afternoon, the music director and I prepared a small area where Our Lady could have Her small altar. We used a colorful serape, a lacy tablecloth and vases from the church and placed Her statue on the stand. The roses presented to Our Lady at the Saturday fiesta, would be used for the morning procession.

On the morning of mass, I gave everyone entering the chapel a rose and explained about the procession. The procession should have been done while the Mananitas was being sung but I got so engrossed in singing the Mananitas that I failed to get the people started. The next logical spot in the mass would be at the offertory and I got the first person to take a rose to the small shrine, and everyone followed him.  A few persons touched the statue, and it looked as if they said a prayer.  I felt bad that the priest had to wait to continue with the mass while everyone took a rose to place in a vase. The Mexican singer and his group began singing La Guadalupana, a beautiful song to our Blessed Mother. When the last rose was placed in a vase, the priest continued with mass.

After mass we took pictures, and the singers told me to call them next year because they would love to adore Our Lady of Guadalupe with song on her feast day! I was also thanked for giving them the opportunity to take part in the special ceremony.

My thanks go out to our priest who gave a homily regarding the feast day, the music director who helped me set up the altar and played the Mananitas on the piano, to the singers who were so willing to help celebrate the feast day, and to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"Desde el cielo una hermosa manana                  From heaven one beautiful morning

la Guadalapana bajo al Tepeyac."                        Our Lady of Guadalupe came down

                                                                              to Tepeyac.

Words from La Guadalapana

Many Hands Make Work Easier

 Last year a committee was formed to plan a Fiesta for Our Lady of Guadalupe. From what I have heard, this is something that was done in the past on or near her feast day. I recall attending a couple of large parties with pinatas, but in later years the celebration became a rosary and a procession with roses in the chapel. In the church patio there would be Mexican hot chocolate and sweet rolls called Conchas.  

In 2021, after not having a Fiesta for many years, a committee was formed to celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was amazing how groups for different activities came together. Food, decoration, flowers, drinks, tickets, music, greeters, servers, set up and clean up were discussed.  What I remember about last year is how the two persons in charge of decorations needed paper flowers and everyone pitched in to help make the flowers. It seemed that hundreds of different colored flowers were made. Even members of my book club pitched in to make the flowers. One decorator had an idea of how the picture of our Lady should be decorated and she came up with an idea of flowers, lights and light blue tulle. Her cohort, plus volunteers, helped put the decorations in place until it became a beautiful centerpiece.

This year, the same committees were needed, but the lady that had guided us last year had retired, leaving the new liturgical leader, who had never planned a Fiesta, to put together the celebration. Luckily, one member from last year had kept notes to remind us of what needed doing, some remembered what had to be done, and the planning began. The note-taker became our "go to" person if we had any questions. 

The lady responsible for fixing the center piece had a death in the family and was unable to fix the arch for Our Lady. Would this be a problem? She left instructions of how it should be done and left poles, flowers, and lights to the note-taker. With the help of the volunteers, they managed to put the frame together. To make sure the tables were set up correctly, a sample table of what would go on the tables was displayed that we could follow so all the tables would be the same. Red tablecloths on the large round tables, a scarf with Our Lady's image, rosaries, and a small vase with two roses were to be put on each table.  The volunteers got the tables together, the men hung up the flowers and wrapped them around posts, I drove to Costco to purchase ten dozen roses, and the pullies for the Pinatas were set up. Many hands working together made the decorating easier than the past year. This year, instead of having the dinner catered, the Knights of Columbus prepared soft tacos and burritos with all the condiments. Salsa and chips were placed on the tables. For dessert a parishioner made 200 Bizcochitos, a cinnamon cookie, and someone donated Mexican rolls called Conchas.  The story of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe was told to the children by a deacon, and I noticed that all the adults also listened to the beautiful story.

The music, Las Mananitas, played while the procession of children took flowers to the Blessed Mother. Little San Juan Diego also presented a vase with roses to Our Lady.

I heard many compliments regarding the food, the decorations, the music, the children's carrying roses in procession to Our Lady, and the children trying to hit the pinatas. It seemed, to me, that everyone enjoyed the fiesta. When the stick connected with a pinata, the candy would rain down for the children to gather handfuls of candy! 

Many thanks for those that worked hard, and especially to the "go to" lady who made sure everyone knew what they had to do. The knights prepared delicious tasting food for all to enjoy, the priest gave the opening prayer and the Fiesta for 2022 was a success.  We all believe Our Lady of Guadalupe was happy with her party!

"The little girl was so precious! 

She smiled throughout the procession 

and especially when she put the flowers in the vase. 

She made my heart smile!"

Phyllis Telgenhoff

Matinee Fun

 Saturday, December 10, 2022, ladies from Spirt of Christ Catholic Community attended Beauty and the Beast at the Arvada, Center. Even though it is a young person's story, the seniors enjoyed the musical story. Great acting and singing kept the audience wondering what would happen next. The dancers were terrific as they spun, leaped, rolled and marched across the stage. Humorous and serious parts kept everyone mesmerized and wondering what the outcome of the story would be between the monster, Gaston and Belle. 

I remembered taking my granddaughters to see the movie many years ago, but I had forgotten most of what happens. What fascinates me is the how the sets are moved around, doors appear, and it is done in such a way that the audience is not aware of what is going on until the next scene appears.

In the past, whenever I attended a play, everyone dressed up. Now, in this day and age, not so much. I liked that many of the children who came to the play were dressed in Christmas outfits or wearing a yellow gown like Belle.

A fun play for both adults and children and I would recommend seeing it, though there are some scary parts that might frighten the children. But maybe not! The good thing is that the ending is happy, and the standing ovation proved it!

"Think of the one thing you always wanted.

Now find it in your mind's eye

 and feel it in your heart."

The Beast

Fooled Again

 An Italian Proverb: He that deceives me once, it's his fault; but if twice, it's my fault. I am beginning to believe that proverb. October 2, 2022, my friend from Guadalajara, Mexico texted me and told me she had placed a t-shirt in the mail to me.  On December 1, 2022, I began trying to find out why the shirt had not been delivered. On December 6 she told me she had checked with the Mexican post office and they told her the package was not delivered because the address was unknown and that it was at the post office in Arvada. She sent me her receipt via text and I began my search by calling the USPS.

A clerk looked up the number and said there was no record of any packages for me. She transferred me to the International Department and after waiting for 37 minutes, a woman answered. She searched but said that the number I had was not a correct number. She suggested I go to my post office to inquire and they might have the package. I figured I had already spent one hour on the phone so I might as well drive to the post office. 

After waiting in line behind 15 persons the worker could not find anything. She did say that it was probably sitting in customs. "I have seen many packages that sit at customs and eventually they send them on to the post office." Now I had been over an hour on my search.

Today, I received a text from the post office. MSG: USPS You have a package that needs to be delivered but it has been suspended due to an incorrect delivery address. It had a http://www.accounts etc. I clicked on it but could not get through so I drove to the post office. The clerk said, "It is probably a scam." She disappeared to the back and was gone a long time and another clerk showed up. "We never text so this is a scam, we have gotten quite a few lately."

She gave me information regarding Informed Delivery and evidently after I sign up, I will be able to check what mail I will receive. I think I will never see the t-shirt but at least I will be notified what mail I should be receiving.

I would have treated the message as scam if I had not been searching for my package. The message came at the right time to fool me. So, if I get fooled again it will be my fault!

"And now that I have

 been scammed once,

I felt like it could not

happen to me again!"

Vann Chow

Las Mananitas

 Las Mananitas is the Spanish version of Happy Birthday in Hispanic countries, especially in Mexico. On December 12, 2022, at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community, the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the 9:00 a.m. mass will have a celebration honoring her. The plan is for everyone attending mass to be given a rose and before mass begins, there will be a procession taking the roses to a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe. At the same time, Las Mananitas, led by two singers, will be sung. I found out that there are many different verses to the song. I don't know how there came to be so many different versions for the song and I had to do research to find the most popular one. The one we will use will be the one that the two singers are used to singing. The rest of us will follow their lead. The music director mentioned that the music is the same no matter what verses we sing. 

Las Mañanitas

Estas son las mañanitas,

que cantaba el Rey David,

Hoy por ser día de tu santo,

te las cantamos a ti.

Despierta, mi bien, despierta,

mira que ya amaneció.

Ya los pajarillos cantan,

la luna ya se metió.

Que linda está la mañana

en que vengo a saludarte,

Venimos todos con gusto

y placer a felicitarte.

El día en que tu naciste

nacieron todas las flores

En la pila del bautismo,

cantaron los ruiseñores.

Ya viene amaneciendo

Ya la luz del día nos dió.

Levántate de mañana

mira que ya amaneció.

Quisiera ser un San Juan,

quisiera ser un San Pedro,

Venirte a saludar

con la música del cielo.

De las estrellas del cielo

tengo que bajarte dos

una para saludarte

y otra para decirte adiós.

Ya viene amaneciendo

ya la luz del día nos dió,

levantate de mañana

mira que ya amaneció.

In Mexico, at the Basilica, professional singers celebrate her day beginning at midnight on her feast day. Different singers or groups sing beautiful hymns to Our Lady. In the United States I have watched on television as Texas, California, and Florida celebrate Her feast day.  Our Lady of Guadalupe is known as the patroness of the Americas. Millions of people celebrate her day and I have been fortunate to have visited the Shrine in Mexico City three different times. The crowds with deep devotion to Her are amazing and unbelievable! What I remember is the body-to-body people for as far as one can see. Many carry flowers, pictures or statues that they bring to the shrine to be blessed. People come from all over the world to celebrate Her day at the shrine.

On a smaller scale, I am looking forward to a beautiful feast day for Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe on December 12th at Spirit of Christ!  

"Let not your heart be disturbed...

do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything, 

am I not here, your Mother?"

Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

What's Going On?

 They say that curiosity killed the cat, but I wonder why a young man stepped up on the altar during mass at the Shrine of St. Anne on Sunday, December 4, 2022. As I sat waiting for mass to begin, I noticed a young man in shorts and a white jersey enter a pew. His brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail and he had a goatee and mustache. The back of the jersey had MARTINEZ with a large 58 number. My first thought, because he sort of looked out of place, was about mass shootings. He carried a bag with a handle and I wondered if there could be a gun in the bag.

Mass began and I stopped my bizarre thinking until I looked up at the altar as the priest was about to begin the Consecration. The young man was on the altar and the priest was talking to him. It looked like a friendly exchange with the priest smiling. The priest put his head near the young man's head and I wondered if he was hearing his confession. For three or four minutes they talked and then embraced.  The young man returned to his seat. What was that all about, I wondered.

During the Consecration, the young man once again walked up to the altar and I heard the priest say, "Not yet, go back to your seat." The young man continued to the altar and this time the priest firmly said, "Return to your seat!" The young man returned to his pew and it looked as if he was crying. He held up a silver bar, looked up and appeared to be praying. I could not tell what it was he was holding up and thought it might have been a small flute. The choir's piano player, observing the young man's tears, got up, grabbed a bunch of tissues and handed them to the young man.

The man received communion and I, lost in my own prayers, did not see the young man or what he was doing. I did see an older man with a white beard and long silver hair tied back in a ponytail, get up and go to the young man. He whispered something to him, and the young man stood up and hugged the man. When I saw the kind gesture of a stranger to someone who obviously was hurting, brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes.

Mass ended and I knew I would never know what, or why, had gone on during mass. Yet, I felt something special had happened and it made me feel good. I hoped the young man felt peace and acceptance in his life.

Leaving mass, I met a friend and we went to Old Town Arvada to see the Christmas decorations and the German huts where items were being sold. There I saw the young man again and I wanted to go up and talk to him, but I hesitated. What had happened at mass was private and none of my business.  At the tea hut, with many different types of drinks, I saw him purchase a can and with that I walked away, ending my curiosity.

"Keep your attention focused entirely

on what is truly your own concern, and

be clear that what belongs to others

is their business and none of yours."

Epictetus