Christmas Letter 2022

 

Every year, I write a blog post on Christmas morning, a Christmas letter if you will.  I usually am up early and writing before dawn.  I often would refer to the stillness of the night, the darkness but for the glow of the computer screen, and “not a creature was stirring,” Some, well only Ara, would make fun of these openings the way Charles Schultz had Snoopy overuse “It was a dark and stormy night…” as the first line in many of the beloved Beagle’s novels.  Well, there is no chance of me starting my Christmas Letter in that cliched way that this year.  I am writing this letter at 2 in the afternoon.  The sky is blue, the sun is shining, it is still wicked cold but certainly lots of creatures are stirring.

While the opening was always predictable, so was the sentiment and purpose of my Christmas Letters.  Mostly, it was to acknowledge and appreciate the family and friends that enrich my life, that give meaning to it, that provide the texture and spice to the wonderment of life we so often take for granted when routine tasks and duties occupy so much of our time.  As predictable as the opening of my Christmas Letters have been, the content was equally predictable. 

Why do this at Christmas when it would seem more appropriate to do so at Thanksgiving?

Well, there are two reasons for this.  First, I got into the habit of sending a Christmas morning email to the people who reported to me (either solid or dotted line) during my Latin American days at Colgate-Palmolive.  I began with a greeting of the season and then expressed my thanks and appreciation for being associated with such a hardworking and amazing team.  It seemed like a wonderful way to start a special day.  Secondly, I often referred to the old Armenian tradition of the going house to house in the neighborhood to personally wish friends and family a Merry Christmas have a drink and a small bite, kind of a Christmas tapas tour, at each stop.  As I could not do that with friends and family being spread out geographically, I evoked the spirt of such via the Christmas Letter.

As is our tradition, I had a phone call with my friend Andres in Uruguay.  At the close of our conversation, we expressed the appreciation of friendship and pledged, as we do every year, to be in contact more than once a year.  I believe this year we actually did do that.  I hope to keep it up.

Uncle Rouben Gavoor, Cousin David Gavoor,
 and half of myself circa 1975

My Great Uncle Rouben used to always ask if I was “Keeping up with my correspondence.”  In my teens and twenties, I found the question a bit amusing and did not take the question seriously.  Staying in touch and communicating with friends and family is an art.  Like many things, we do not truly value the importance of such when we are young. 

Uncle Rouben asked his question in the time when correspondence meant letter writing.  You would think it would be so much easier today with e-mail, texting, and VoIP video calls (think FaceTime and WhatsApp).  It really should be. But one must want to keep up with their correspondence.  Wanting to keep up is good, but only a start.  Then, one must develop the habit of keeping up with their correspondence.  Social media tools and technology are nothing more than facilitators.

Am I good at it?  Maybe.  I know I can and should better.  My habit of keeping up with my correspondence is not the kind of business process I was known for advocating and implementing in my industrial career.  Not by a long shot.  Others than point out, “What are you talking about?  Your blog is there for anyone and everyone to read.”  While that is true, I suppose I, and certainly Uncle Rouben, were talking about more one-to-one, personal letters, emails, texts, and phone calls.  In another bloggy bit, Remembering Ms.Trosko, I wrote:

There is a lesson here.  If you think fondly, have warm memories, or appreciated the contributions someone made in your life, tell them.  Tell them the moment you think about it.  Write them, email them, call them, or tell them in person.  It doesn't matter.  They would appreciate it, especially if it is someone that you have lost touch with or haven't connected with in years.  When the thought comes into your mind, listen to what the Nike folks are always touting and, just do it.  You will be glad you did, and the person will most definitely appreciate hearing from you.  I speak of this from experience both as a recipient and initiator of such contacts.

 Christmas time is a wonderful, if not perfect time, to have such thoughts and vow (well if not vow, make a New Year’s Resolution) to do better at keeping up with our correspondence.  If I achieve my goal or come up short, I know that in a year from now I will being preparing to send out a message just like I  about to do here:  I wish all of my friends and family a most Merry Christmas and a most happy, healthy, and prosperous 2023.  May we all do better at keeping up with our correspondence and appreciating those we value and love.