That's It, I'm Done

I already retired once in 2020 just as Covid began. I announced it on the day before Spring Break, and honestly, didn’t regret that decision at all. It was the last time I set foot in any building as a principal. That measured 23 years in administration, plus one as an associate principal. 

For the last four and a half years, I worked part time. First, I was a long-term substitute for a third grade class who didn’t have a teacher. It was as a favor to a principal friend of mine, and I have to say it was a genuinely refreshing and wonderful experience. When they hired a teacher, it was not even a week when I received a call from another principal friend who asked me to be their online learning facilitator. I served in that capacity for about one and a half years, and again, I loved it. 

For the past two years, I was able to use my counseling skills at the same school where my wife worked. That brought me full circle. I met Kim when we both landed at a high school in California. We dated, married, adopted a son, and gave birth to two girls. And it also brought me completely back to where I first did my student teaching as an undergrad in 1976, which was in a middle school. 

These past two years as a counselor also reminded me how much I loved counseling. In retrospect, if I had to do it all over again, knowing now what I didn’t know then, I would have never left counseling and would never have gone into administration. I believe I was a much, much better counselor than I was a principal. But all said and done through the many past years in education, I learned quite a bit about myself and about education from each position I held. I enjoyed the kids the most, the administrative teams I worked with and to whom I was responsible, and many of the teachers and parents who came across the entry doors. 

I am still in touch with many of the friends I met in these past 49 years. Kids at all levels, now young adults, some with families of their own, and even some who have retired, still call me a friend. Currently, I work in a school with several of my former students. At the beginning of the year, one of them- a newly hired English teacher, asked the principal what he should call me. He explained he had me as a principal, and he didn’t know if he should call me Mr. Lewis or Joe. It’s funny, he doesn’t call me by any title, so I think he’s still uncomfortable with all of it.

I have fond memories, some regrets, but I dwell mostly on what I was able to accomplish and the lives I touched along the way. And how my life was touched by all who entered it. 

As a coach, winning a state title with a super athletic group of hard-working kids was a highlight. Being asked to stand up in one young man’s wedding, and then a year later, being asked if I would be his son’s godfather is something I’ll never forget. Visiting a young man in a hospital after he got beaten out of a gang. For him, it was the lesser of two evils, the other being put to death. He ended up being the first male in his family to graduate from high school and go to college. As time passed, we lost track of each other, but I still think of him. 

Another young man as a middle schooler, Khalid, came home from school one day and found his grandmother dead on the kitchen floor after a heart attack. The summer before his freshman year in high school, he then moved into his father’s and stepmother’s home. Neither wanted him. Khalid had to sleep on a couch or on the floor in a cramped apartment. Even though I was his counselor for four years, I had no knowledge of this until years later, when he told the story while visiting my wife, and our two daughters, and me. He went to college on a football and academic scholarship, and has since become a counselor and is now a high school principal. 

As a counselor, I helped pick up the pieces after a troubled young man committed suicide while on the phone with his best friend. This young man thanked his friend for all he did, and then shot himself with his father’s rifle. It was a tough week or two for many, but especially for the friend who received the phone call and heard the gunshot. 

As a principal, I had to help plan a celebration of life ceremony for two popular senior students killed when a train struck their vehicle. For a small school whose students knew everyone, it was a tough spring. At a more recent school, we held a special graduation for a young man dying of brain cancer. Not a year later, he passed away peacefully.

But there were many more positive and heartwarming stories than sad ones, thankfully.

Keith, a quiet kid in the first school where I taught and coached in Wyoming, asked me one day if I liked duck. I told him I didn’t think I ever ate one. The next day, I came home to a crock pot on my porch with a handwritten note to return the crock pot when I was done with it. There was a family who took me as their own, knowing I was many miles away from my own family. Countless Sunday dinners, and a Christmas Eve, and they even hired me to work on their ranch during the summer months. I’ll save the story for how that turned out for a later post.

And it was through education where I met Kim and then got married and had three children. When our son, Wil, was shot and killed, I can’t possibly express the appreciation for how our schools embraced us, comforted us, and protected us. I still don’t know how I managed, and my girls and Kim and I still speak of how the school year of 2014-2015 was a blur. We really have little of memories of how we survived and made it through. For me, I had a wonderful administrative team, especially Harry Johnston and Wes Bergazzi, who checked in with me often, and a teaching staff who looked out for both our youngest, Emily, and me.

I sit at my desk as I pound these keys. I’m age 71 now, and reflecting on the 49 years I spent in education, I have to say, I don’t regret it. It has been a wonderful career, and more importantly, a good life … so far. June 12^th is the last day of my day to day work. I might substitute for administrators on leave or when there is a need. I might substitute as a counselor if a need arises. But I am done with the day to day life as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator. 

A huge thank you to all who helped shape me, who took the time to correct me, guide me, encourage me, and mentor me. I know I never had all the answers and relied on so many who were and are smarter than I’ll ever be. Through it all, I have been blessed, and I continue to be blessed, and my life is full. I hope, at least in some small measure, I added something positive to the lives who came in contact with me.

Thanks for your service to kids, and thank you for being with me and, when needed, for propping me up on this journey. Without you, I would have been lost. Something to think about …

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all ten books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

This past Monday, I was a guest on a podcast, Horizons Author Lounge, with Dr. Rhonda Lawson. As soon as I receive a link to the recording of the 30 minute show, I will post it on my social media.

Saturday, May 24^th from 9:30 to 11:30 AM I will take part in a Local Authors Festival. It takes place at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library Salem Church Branch, at 2607 Salem Church Road, Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you are in the area, I’d love for you to stop by. I’ll have all ten of my books for sale and signing.

A week or two ago, I discovered good news on two of my books. Black Yéʼii received a 2025 Maxy Finalist Award for Thriller and Suspense. It previously won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award. It is available in Paperback and on Kindle and is currently being made into an Audible format. You can find Black Yéʼii here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. BestThrillers called it “One of the best Crime Fiction Books of 2018!” It was also a PenCraft Literary Award Winner! You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also found out that Fan Mail won a 2023 Maxy Finalist for Action and Adventure. It previously won a 2023 Reader’s Favorite Silver Book Award. It is available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Of course, you can find all my books, their descriptions, and a pay link on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Photo courtesy of Joseph Lewis

      

Protection

Protection 

I try to keep this blog and my posts free from politics, yet recent events cause me to set aside my unwritten rule. I cannot remain silent. With that in mind, read or not. Up to you. 

When Southern California had an earthquake recently, the elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park formed an “alert circle” to protect two calves. It was an instinctive response to danger. Pretty amazing, but not unexpected. This type of behavior is common in the animal kingdom. It occurs in the human kingdom, too. 

Ever watched an old western? As they trekked across the country, the wagon trains would circle at night to protect themselves from hungry critters and marauders. Forts are encircled in walls for protection. 

As a young couple with two children, William was seven and Hannah was an infant, Kim and I had a plan “just in case” something came up. I would get Wil and our dog, Sherlock, while Kim got Hannah. That was our plan. We never had to evacuate, but I remember we experienced an earthquake and when I got to Wil’s room, he was sitting up in bed, eyes wide, as the bed shook. It reminded me of the scene in the Exorcist minus the levitation. Levitation would have freaked both Wil and me out. 

It is human nature to protect our young, those most vulnerable. I wish the current administration and the GOP in particular would protect our young and our most vulnerable. The sense of caring, compassion, and empathy are noticeably absent these days. I guess the teachings of Jesus are too Woke for them and their followers. Sad. Instead, the rights of women vary from state to state, while men suffer no such thing. There is talk of the Ten Commandments being hung up on classroom walls, even as the state and federal legislatures violate them. A ten-year-old rape victim from Ohio had an abortion in Indiana, and the doctor who performed it was fined. A ten-year-old rape victim. Again, no caring, compassion, or empathy. The party of family values fails again miserably. The bible is cherry-picked to meet the needs of the callous, thoughtless, and heartless, with little reference or guidance from the teachings of Jesus. Worse than just sad. I dare say, sinful.

As a seventy-one-year-old, I worry about the loss of Medicare and Medicaid. I have two brothers and two sisters older than me. I have in-laws older than me, who care for a physically and intellectually challenged grandson, who is my wife’s nephew. While I don’t know the financial specifics of the aforementioned, I would think the loss of Medicare and Medicaid would hurt them, as well as hurt my wife and me and many of my loved ones. Losing either would place a burden on their families, and for Kim and me, place a burden on our children. Hopefully, it will remain intact and not be raided. But who knows? Maybe, hopefully, in four years it will change, but in four years, a lot can happen. 

Protection. 

Kim and I and many of our family members have been in or are in education, teaching and caring for kids of all ages. We have made friends with those who have worked with us, teaching and mentoring children. Some former students remain in touch with me even after all these years. There are nurses among our family members and extended family. They work tirelessly to make those with medical issues comfortable. I have a niece who works long hours at a 9-1-1 call center. 

Protection.

We have friends, colleagues and family members who do not agree with Kim or me or my daughters and their husbands. They genuinely believe that our current president is doing the right thing. They believe our country was headed in the wrong direction. I get that, even though I disagree with them.

There are many who agree with me and, like me, they are worried- more than worried- about the current direction of our country. We have one son-in-law who is African American (yes, a U.S. citizen) and I know he and my daughter worry. Kim and I adopted our son from Guatemala, and even though he has been deceased since July 2014, Kim and I have talked about what would happen if Wil was alive and I.C.E. showed up at his place of work, his home, or while he walked down the street. Others, just like Wil, have disappeared or have been held in detention. The home of the brave and the land of the free, right? Only for a specific color and specific gender, I think.

Matthew 20:40 says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Jesus’s words, not mine. Straight from the Bible. This part of the parable of the goats and sheep emphasizes that serving others, especially those in need, is equivalent to serving Christ Himself.

We must speak up for those who have no voice. We must protect those who need protection, those who are the most vulnerable. We have to care about those who need our help. Pain, suffering, worry, and anxiety blanket all age groups, all races, and all creeds. If not us, if not those who are able, who will protect those who need it the most? Do we conveniently disregard Matthew 20:40 or follow it? And last, who are we to judge who needs protection? Who are we to judge who doesn’t need care and compassion? Who has the right to judge? I don’t think any of us were given permission to judge. Something to think about …

Live Your Life, and Make A Positive Difference in the Lives of Others!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all ten books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

This past week, I discovered good news on two of my books. Black Yéʼii received a 2025 Maxy Finalist Award for Thriller and Suspense. It previously won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award. It is available in Paperback and on Kindle and is currently being made into an Audible format. You can find Black Yéʼii here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also found out that Fan Mail won a 2023 Maxy Finalist for Action and Adventure. It previously won a 2023 Reader’s Favorite Silver Book Award. It is available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Of course, you can find all my books, their descriptions, and a pay link on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Photo courtesy of David Heiling and Unsplash

Friendship Fades

Scrolling through Reels on my phone as I took a break from working and writing, I came across an interesting interview between a host, whose name I didn’t catch, and actor, Kevin Bacon. They talked about acting, various roles, and such, but there was a question that seemed to not only strike me but also the actor.

The host asked, “You’ve developed friendships with the people you work with, but what happens when the project is completed? Do you remain friends after that?” 

Bacon contemplated that question, then shook his head and said, “That’s what’s so frustrating to me. Even depressing. On the set, whether it is a play or a movie, we become close. We’re family. And then when it’s over, everyone goes away. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to handle that. I mean, we were friends, I thought. But some, I’ve never heard from again, or if I did, it was at some event or show and we pass each other and say hello. I didn’t know how to handle that.” 

“But surely, you made friends in the business, right?” the host asked. 

“Well, yes. I met my wife while we worked together, but there are others who just left and I never hear from again.” 

“That must hurt.” 

“Hell, yes. Like I said, we spend weeks, even months, together. We develop a bond, a friendship. We’re like family. And then,” Bacon raised his hands and finished, “then nothing. I didn’t know how to handle that at first.” 

I made me think back to my forty-nine years in education, both full-time and part-time, the places I’ve been, and the people I worked with, laughed with, and hurt with. And many of them are gone, much like Bacon described. The set was finished, the project done, and they moved on. In my case, I changed jobs or cities and schools, and some people I thought were friends aren’t anymore. Never hear from them again. Gone. 

Now and then, I look them up on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, and I reach out and reintroduce myself with a wish to connect, but many times, it is ignored. Yeah, it hurts. 

The longest I’ve been in one place, here in Virginia, Kim and I hear from very few. Very few. I am in touch more now with friends from grade school and high school, which is fun. I enjoy that and I look forward to hearing from them or seeing their posts. Some were reacquainted from the books I’ve written or the blogs I write. That is satisfying. 

But what of those who are or were more recent friends? Not so much. Some is certainly my fault. I got caught up in my life, my work, and my family. Writing has kept me busy- thankfully so. Kim and I do a great deal together, and that’s always a good thing. We do quite a bit with my two daughters, their husbands, and our grandson. Even thinking of them brings a smile to my face. Yet, I miss the friends I’ve made over the years. 

This might be a guess, but I bet Bacon and I aren’t the only ones this has happened to. I think many of you reading this might have similar experiences. I wrote a post for this blog on February 13, 2023 titled, Like Boosters on a Rocket and as of this afternoon, there have been 372 views. It seems like it hit the heart with quite a few of you.

The essence of that post is that some folks aren’t meant to journey through life with you. Some come along and help you at different times over the years, while others remain friends seemingly forever. It’s just that I wish I had more of the latter. Perhaps you do too. I would love to hear from you on how this post hits you. Something to think about ... 

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all nine books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is now available in paperback and Kindle. An Audible is currently being worked on. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also want to remind you that Fan Mail is now available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Photo courtesy of Chang Duong and Unsplash

Keepsakes and Memories

My sister, Kathy, sent me this from my niece, Annie. Annie’s father, my brother-in-law, passed away this past September, and one year previous to this, Annie’s mother, my sister, passed away. Annie described it as “being homeless.” No anchor. 

With the last hurricane that blasted Florida, Annie lost her home. Nearly everything was lost, damaged, or broken. Needless to say, this has been an extremely tough two years on her and her two sisters and brother. 

“Homeless.” No anchor. 

Annie posted this on Facebook, and I decided to bring it to you on my blog, because it encapsulates what many of have gone through, or will go through, upon the passing of a mom or dad or older sibling.

Again, this is not my own, nor is it Annies. She found it and posted it just as it is, and I am posting it just as it is. It comes from Melissa Vaughan …

A friend posted this writing today, and it struck me that someday EVERYONE will go thru this discarding of “things” that are the memories of one’s life. Sometimes it’s our own and more often it’s the life of someone we love ... 

When my mom was cleaning out her house over 23 years ago to sell it, I wasn’t very sympathetic over her attachments to things. I would go over on weekends to help her and we would go through things, things for a yard sale, things to donate, things to throw away. I would usually get upset over how long it was taking her to decide. For instance, we were going through kitchen cabinets and she spent 20 minutes looking at an iron kettle with a lid. Finally I said, “Mom, at this rate, it is going to take us another 2 years.” 

She told me that her mother used to make meals in that kettle and leave them at doorsteps of neighbors during the depression, mom would deliver them, and then they would reappear back to her with an apron, or a wood carving, something in return for the meal. I realized that everything that my mom was going through was really a reliving of her life.

If you are reading this and are under the age of 60, you won’t get it. You haven’t lived long enough. Most of you have not had to move your parents into a nursing home, or emptied their home. You haven’t lived long enough to realize that the hours you spend picking out the right cabinets, or the perfect tile will not be what matters in the later years. It will be the handmade toothbrush holder, or a picture that you got on vacation. 

So, if your parents are downsizing, and moving to smaller places, or selling a home, give your mom and even your dad a break. Those things that you don’t understand why they can’t just pitch, and why you think you know what needs to be tossed or saved, give them a little time to make their decisions. They are saying goodbye to their past and realizing that they are getting ready for their end of life while you are beginning your life.

As I have been going through things, it’s amazing just how hard it is to get rid of objects. But, life goes on, and you realize they are just things, but sometimes things comfort us. So give your parents or grandparents a break. Listen to their stories, because in 40 years, when you are going through those boxes and the memories come back, it will be hard to get rid of those plastic champagne flutes that you and your late husband used at a New Year party 40 years ago. You will think nothing of the tile or the light fixtures that were so important then.

As happy as they are for you, and as much as they love you, you just don’t have a clue until it happens to you and then you will remember how you rushed them, and it will make you sad, especially if they are already gone and you can’t say I’m sorry, I didn’t get it.

~ Original Post Melissa Vaughan 

I hope this post causes you to think and to reminisce in a good way. I know I did.

I didn’t have to clean out the house when dad moved to a nursing home. After he passed away, I didn’t have to clean out his room. My sister did that. When my mom moved to a nursing home, my two sisters cleaned out her condo. They carefully left small piles of keepsakes for each of us sons and daughters to take. I didn’t see them struggle, and I didn’t see them weep, though I know they did. I know when I walked through that home for the last time, I wept.

My memories were both good and bad. Some of my doing, while some were done to me. It happens because we’re human and we’re not perfect.

I only hope that when I pass and when Kim moves on, she and my daughters will have fond memories of my keepsakes, the things I treasured and those things that meant something to me. I hope they realize that what meant the most to me was their love and companionship. I think we all want that, don’t we? Something to think about …

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

For My Readers:  

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all nine books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site. 

Please Connect with Me on Social Media: 

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  (until it goes away, if it goes away)

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is now available in paperback and Kindle. Plans are being made to bring it to you in Audible. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379

I also want to remind you that Fan Mail is now available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

 

 

Memories

 

I get nostalgic from time to time, especially so during the holidays of Christmas and New Year. It’s as inevitable as breathing. Kim and I decorated the house, and we decorated the tree. The ornaments are special to us, bringing with them memories of our life before kids, our life with kids, and even some memories before Kim and I married.

One ornament brought me to tears. Not that I’m afraid or too proud to weep in front of people, but I was happy I had that moment alone. I savored it. Last year, I had ornaments made for Kim, and for Hannah and Emily. Each has a picture of our son, Wil, who passed away tragically in 2014. Each ornament is specific. One is Kim with Wil at his wedding. The one for Hannah had her with Wil sharing a special moment with him, and the same for Emily. The caption on each ornament is the same: “I am always with you.” I tear up even writing this.

But there are other memories, too. I think of my sister, Betty, now deceased. We shared so many Christmases together with her husband, Jim, and with their child, Nadine- before I was married, after I was married, and with our kids. There is a special dessert made with chocolate and graham crackers, we named after her- Betty Bars. The recipe passed from Betty to Kim, and now to Hannah and Emily. 

I remember all of us going to midnight mass at Holy Angels. The full choir singing carols along with the various parts of the mass. The priests in their colorful garments, the smell of incense. Candles lit. Stained glass windows shining down at us, even at that late hour.

I remember as a kid, lining up on the stairs in the big old house on the river- the older kids at the top, youngest at the bottom. All of us dressed in pjs and slippers, waiting for dad and mom to call us down to open presents. The lights on the tree would be on, and piles of presents were all wrapped in colorful paper under it. 

I remember the Christmas meal. Sometimes ham, sometimes turkey- whatever our parents could afford. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Homemade rolls. Cranberries. Desserts. Oh, the wonderful desserts we had. So many sitting at the table, we had to use sawbucks with boards across them to accommodate all ten of us, and even more if my older sisters brought their husbands.

On nights preceding Christmas, my dad and mom would pile us in the green Plymouth station wagon and off we’d go looking at the displays of lights on houses. Instead of listening to the AM radio, we’d sing as a family in three and four part harmony. Being one of the youngest, I was expected to sing high harmony, and dang, I better have gotten it right or I’d hear about it, sometimes with an elbow to the ribs or a smack on my thigh. And after we tired of looking at lights, my dad always found his way to the A & W Root Beer for ice cream floats for all of us. 

I think my memories, as a kid, as a young adult, as a dad, and now as grandpa are important, but all the memories are rooted in happiness and joy, in family.

 I don’t know what your customs are or your memories are at this time of year, but I hope and pray they are joyful for you. I hope they bring a smile to your face, and perhaps a wistful sigh, and maybe a tear. A joyful one. I hope you embrace them as much as you do living them. And I pray you never forget them. Mostly, I hope you take the time to be happy, to rest, to breathe. 

May each of you find peace and joy in the midst of any uncertainty we might face in our future. And for those of you who read this blog faithfully, I hope each post brings you reflection, a pause, and a smile.

And for those of you who have read my fiction, I thank you. Sincerely, I thank you. I hope you enjoy the stories found between the covers- not only the mystery with its twists and turns, but the drama of my fictional Evans family. 

Thanks for following along. From my family to yours, God Bless. Merry Christmas and please have the best New Year possible.

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

For My Readers:  

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all nine books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site. 

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Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is available for preorder at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/mystery/blackyeii If you purchase Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) prior to the publication date of January 2, 2025, use the promo code: PREORDER2024 to receive a 15% discount.

Just in time for Christmas, Fan Mail is now available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/