Category: religious/spiritual

Epiphany

[Note: I wish I were writing a post addressing the murder of Renée Good and the horrible actions of the Trump administration both in the United States and throughout the world but I don’t have enough brainpower to do so between the brain fog and jet lag, so something lighter today. I drafted this and had intended to post it for January 6th – itself a fraught date for those of us in the US – but our travel complications derailed my intent to do so.]

On January 6th, Catholics in the UK celebrate Epiphany, observing the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. This ends the twelve days of Christmas, although the Christmas season continues liturgically through the celebration of Jesus’s baptism in the Jordan River by John.

Interestingly, in the United States, the observance of Epiphany is moved to Sunday rather than celebrated on January 6.

One of the most meaningful parts of our trip to London has been attending Mass with daughter E, son-in-law L, and granddaughters ABC and JG. I especially have enjoyed the Saturday vigil Masses because L has served as organist with E as songleader.

I’ve always loved listening to E sing. She was very musical from the time she was young and always sang in choirs at church and school. She majored in music in college and studied voice there. Because we live so far away from each other, I don’t get to hear her sing often, so it was a treat to hear her – and sing along – at Masses during our trip.

This post is part of Linda’s Just Jot It January. Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/09/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-9th-2026/

One-Liner Wednesday: the root of war

“The root of war is fear.”
~~~ Thomas Merton

Join us for Linda’s Just Jot It January and/or One-Liner Wednesday! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/01/07/one-liner-wednesday-jusjojan26-the-7th-i-hate-when-that-happens/

One-Liner Wednesday: dragon?

While the zebra left the creche, a Lego dragon has joined the scene, along with a mushroom at the baby Jesus’s feet and a mysterious magnifying glass.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/12/31/one-liner-wednesday-happy-2026/

Christmas Eve/Day

Spouse B, daughter T, and I are spending the holidays in London with daughter E, her spouse L, and granddaughters, 8-year-old ABC and 5-year-old JG. The photo above is of ABC and JG’s bedroom window decoration at dusk on Christmas Eve. Dusk comes early in London this time of year!

This is an exciting Christmas for our London contingent because they just moved into their first house of their own a couple of months ago.


Christmas Eve day was largely dedicated to finishing up gift preparation and baking cookies. B and E made lasagna for dinner, a nod to the Italian side of our family and the many years we made lasagna for Christmas dinner to accommodate E and T singing in the choir on Christmas morning because the lasagna could be assembled the day before and baked after church. For dessert, we had cookies and pandoro, an Italian sweet bread which is covered in powdered sugar and baked in a mold so that it can be cut in slices and arranged to look like a Christmas tree. This was not part of the Italian Christmas tradition that made it across the ocean to the US but it was so delicious that we will try to order it next year.

When E and T were young, every Christmas, my parents would give them Fonatanini creche figures. E’s figures were being stored in our basement but, now that she and L have their own home, we took the opportunity to bring them out to them. Here they are on the mantel, with a zebra addition courtesy of ABC and JG!


My parents, known here as Nana and Paco, have both passed away. They both got to know ABC, their first great-grandchild when she lived in the US for her first couple of years before moving permanently to London. Paco got to meet JG just once, when they were able to make the trip over from London a few weeks before he died. I love, though, that the creche figures they gave to E are part of their first Christmas in their new home. It feels as though they are blessing the house and their dear family.

I’m writing this early Christmas morning. Our plans include 8:30 Christmas mass, followed by gift exchange and an afternoon dinner at L’s parents with 20-some family gathering.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and wishes for peace and joy to all!

holiday singing

After two very successful concerts of Lessons & Carols for Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend with the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton, a smaller ensemble prepared for two Christmas-themed performances on December 12th. In the afternoon, we sang at a local nursing home. In the evening, we sang as part of the Roberson Museum’s Home for the Holidays exhibition.

It had been many years since I had done this kind of small group singing out in the community. I was happy that skills I had learned in high school, when I first did that kind of performance, came back to me all these decades later, although, fortunately, we did not have to also do choreography as we did back then.

Singing at the nursing home was especially meaningful. In their later years, my parents had lived in a senior community and experienced various levels of care, so I could recognize some of the challenges that our audience there was facing. The ones who were missing being able to attend church and concerts as they had before health problems intervened. The one who was able to sing along, even though she was no longer able to carry on a conversation because music learned long ago is stored in a different part of the brain. The woman cuddling her baby doll that never leaves her side. The man with his eyes closed who seems to be asleep but who is letting the familiar tunes wash over him. It was a privilege to bring some music to the residents that touched their hearts as they prepared for Christmas.

The evening performance was more lively. We sang in the library of the historic mansion that is part of the Roberson Museum complex. There is a beautiful grand piano to use for accompanied pieces and singalongs and the room houses several of the dozens of trees decorated by various community organizations that are part of the Home for the Holidays exhibition. While some of the audience sat in the library and listened to the whole hour-length performance, others strolled through as they toured the mansion, listening to a piece or two before continuing on their way. There were people of all ages, but everyone was in a festive mood and enjoyed the performance.

I hope that I will have more opportunities to sing out in the community next year with the Madrigal Choir. It’s nice to be spreading cheer in a more intimate setting. It reminds me of singing with the Drury High School Girls’ Ensemble at Rotary Club luncheons, Hadassah teas, and nursing home monthly birthday parties.

Music brings meaning and emotion to performers and listeners alike. It’s wonderful to be close to the audience and see the joy in their eyes while we sing.

One-Liner Wednesday: healing thoughts

In the face of so much suffering in the world, today I’m sending healing thoughts out to people I know, such as a friend’s spouse and three local poets who have been involved in recent motor vehicle accidents, and the millions upon millions around the world suffering from illness, hunger, violence, and danger of any kind, wishing I could do more to heal and protect them.

You are invited to also send out healing thoughts and to join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays. Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/11/19/one-liner-wednesday-my-theory/

One-Liner Wednesday: MCOB Lessons & Carols ’25

For people in Broome/Tioga County NY area, two opportunities to hear the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton‘s iconic Lessons & Carols for Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/11/12/one-liner-wednesday-are-you-seeing-this-on-your-blog/

One-Liner Wednesday: for justice and peace for Ukraine

Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay

As we continue to hope and work toward justice and peace for Ukraine, I’m sharing a recording of John Rutter’s “A Ukrainian Prayer” recorded in April ’22 by the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednsdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2025/08/20/one-liner-wednesday-you-know-youre-tired-when/

One-Liner Wednesday: in memorial

On this 80th anniversary of the first use of a nuclear weapon, I’m praying for a total, permanent, global ban.

Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Bonus: Click the link below for news about Linda’s latest book! https://lindaghill.com/2025/08/06/one-liner-wednesday-would-you-look-at-that-2/

JC’s Confessions #32

In the first few seasons of The Late Show, Stephen Colbert did a recurring skit, then a best-selling book, called Midnight Confessions, in which he “confesses” to his audience with the disclaimer that he isn’t sure these things are really sins but that he does “feel bad about them.” While Stephen and his writers are famously funny, I am not, so my JC’s Confessions will be somewhat more serious reflections, but they will be things that I feel bad about. Stephen’s audience always forgives him at the end of the segment; I’m not expecting that – and these aren’t really sins – but comments are always welcome.

I am (perhaps overly) proud of my intellect.

It wasn’t always that way.

I was brought up with the ethos of “do the best you can” and the good fortune that my best fit in well with the expectations of schooling. That, coupled with a natural love of learning, landed me various honors. High school valedictorian, also attained by both my older and younger sisters. Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude at Smith College, where I was also the Presser Scholar in music my senior year. While I was thrilled to be recognized, I could chalk up the honors to my hard work and liberal-artsy curiosity rather than ascribing it to particular intelligence.

Developing pride came more as a self-defense mechanism when I was a young mom. I had chosen to be the full-time, at-home caregiver, facilitated by the time and place in which B and I were navigating parenthood. This was not, though, the lifestyle expected of a high-achieving, Seven-Sisters grad. Without the external validation of a paying job and in contravention of the “having it all” Super-woman model of the 1980s, I developed pride in who I was and what I chose to do – and do well, as I continued to do the best that I could – almost as a defense mechanism.

This quiet pride helped me navigate a number of challenges in our family life and in my volunteer work over decades, but pride is both a positive attribute and a “deadly sin.”

As many of you know, I’ve been struggling with a still-not-fully-diagnosed medical condition, now well into its second year, that has caused significant brain fog and fatigue. In particular, I’ve lost access to my creative side, which is a huge blow to my life as a poet, and my ability to research, synthesize, and think critically is diminished both in scope and duration.

It’s a difficult time in my life and made more so because my intellect has long been such a core part of my identity.

Who am I living with this disability?

How will I face the prospect of losing the life of the mind that I have cultivated and loved for so long?

I’ve been fighting my way through the medical maze to try to regain what I’ve lost but it’s not at all clear at this point that it will be possible. I also am facing the prospect that I could deteriorate further.

Can I remain proud of who I am?

I know the answer should be yes, in keeping with the dignity inherent in each person.

It remains to be seen if I can apply the grace I give to others to myself.