My *GUARDIAN~ANGEL*

December 21, 2009 ... an unfair day when the best woman in the whole wide world was taken away from her family and many friends --- far too soon. 

[Gram & Papa, on their first date. Papa had borrowed that spiffy car from a friend, just to impress Gram! It honestly looks like the perfect snapshot right out of that time-period.]

My grandmother, Ann Marie Sugermeyer: your typical 100% Italian woman. Cooking, baking, sewing, knitting... she could do it ALL! But, even more than those things, she was the most considerate, faithfully devoted, genuine woman anyone could ever hope to know. When she wasn't serving Holy Communion at Our Lady of the Cape Parish, or volunteering every week at the Parish's Thrift-Shop, she was entertaining family and guests alike (once you entered the Sugermeyer house, you were instantly family). 

Every holiday is a little tough... especially Christmas. Yesterday marked the fifth celebration of the birth of Jesus we have celebrated without her. 

As we attended Mass at Our Lady of the Cape, I could feel her with me. I don't know if it was the beauty of the church itself, or the singing mixed with beautiful instrumental accompaniment; either way, I felt Gram: her spirit, her beauty, her faith. It was truly the best Christmas gift I could have hoped for!

Giving, Caring, Sharing!!!

          Mother Teresa once said: “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” It’s as if she had been bestowing these bits of advice upon the late Paul Newman, while he was in the process of forming the plan for and building >The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp< , whose main mission is: “dedicated to providing ‘a different kind of healing’ to seriously ill children and their families throughout the Northeast, free of charge.”

  

          Yesterday, my mom and I had the great pleasure of attending this wonderful camp’s Holiday Party. I had received the invite from the marvelous Mr. Ray Lamontagne, a philanthropist himself, whom I had met my first semester back to school [Fall’11]. He had hosted an Emerging Leaders session, aptly titled “The Purpose and Power of Non-Profits”.  Ray and I have stayed in-touch over the past few years, and I was so flattered to receive that invitation. The even better feeling? Attending this occasion, and being able to witness the genuine joy, love, and gratitude which were so prominent all throughout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were so many superb sights to behold. From the walls wrapped in decorative, holiday paper, to the elves and other North Pole-ians prancing to and fro, it was certainly an enjoyable day!  I even was able to ~craft~, which is, without a doubt, one of my favorite pastimes.

 

 

... talk about feeling as if you were in Santa's work-shop!

 

~MY~ *HAPPY-ZONE*  

 

The gigantic tree was a sight to be seen! Not only was it monstrously tall and wide, but the special ornaments which adorned the many branches, paired with the generous gifts underneath for all of the strong survivors who were present, just made it even more phenomenal!

 

Before our departure, Mom and I had to pose for a picture with a couple of Santa's helpers ~  

 

Without the endless efforts of individuals like Ray and his tremendous work-force, this would not have been possible. 

As quoted by Paul Newman's character, Butch, in the famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid film:

"I have vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals!"