Glad Tidings of the Season from the Milford Senior Center Staff

Living in New England, we are used to cold weather, slippery roads and SNOW!  Looking out at the snow falling I began to wonder, are there ever two snowflakes alike?  A little research told me if you looked at every snowflake ever made you would not find any exact duplicates. So, welcome December and snow!  Our Center has a number of free musical concerts planned for this month.  On page 3 of this bulletin, you will see them listed beginning December 5^th through December 16^th. We welcome everyone to join us to celebrate the holidays with beautiful seasonal music. Last month our Center honored all Milford servicemen and women and their guest with patriotic music and readings and light refreshments. An honor guard presented the colors and we welcomed the opportunity to pay tribute to  these dedicated men and women.  By the way, you may want to take a look at page six of today’s bulletin.  I feel sure you will be impressed with the selection of our various activities calendar and the diversification of programs.  Like to play chess Mahjong, pool, Bingo or scrabble, cards or work at puzzles?  Would you like to learn a new language, paint ceramics, to Yoga, knit, crochet, creative writing or Wii bowl? Come join us; we’re located just several blocks from Milford’s Green at 9 Jepson Drive. Membership is just $15.00 a year and is open to Milford residents 55 years of age and over.   Call us at 203 877-5131 and we will be able to answer any questions you may have. Happy Holidays!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

 Marilyn Ahl, Paul Austin, Violet Austin, Robert Batka, Suzanne Bonci, James Broatch, Linda R. Brown,                    Lorraine Civitello, Mary Cohen, Bonita Coppola, Geraldine Crolla, Kenneth Daigle, Patricia Dooling and Frank D’Ostilio.  Also Gail Dymling, Vincent Deamico, Ralph DeCiccio, Ed Eamiello, Patricia Elliott, Agnes Esposito,  Edith Evangeliste, Peter Ellsworth, Patricia Fabian, Dominick Facin, Laura C. Fantarella, Theresa Fasanella, Lou Fasold, Margaret Fasold, Sherry Felice, Marc Filippone, and Marie Forger. Michael Gardocki, Iris Gonzales,  Angela Hightower, Robert Jordan, Deanna Joyce, Jeffrey Kiernan, Mats Klemets, Cheryl Krafick, Steven  Kunstadt,  Cydney Lambert-Broatch, Glenn Lambert, Sally LeRoux, Joan Miconi, Lenore M. Mihalik, Scott Mundy, Christine Murphy and Thomas Murphy. Also William Olesen, Leigh Patenaude, Kenneth Patenaude,  Jo-Marie Pelle, Patricia Penkava, Cindy Powell, David Purcell, Anthony Purpora, Russell Reynolds, Carl Richards, Catherine Richards, Hugo Roller, Kathleen Schock, Rhea Spiegel,Svitlana Stone, Lou Szabo, Charlotte Szabo, Phyllis Thorne, Sandra Witkowski and Tom Zawislinski. 

The Past Became the Present        

                                                                 by Eleanore Myers Turkington                                  

The television screen was black, the house unusually quiet.  My cell phone lay idly on the table next to me and the ever-ringing phone was silent.  The darkness and the stillness in the room created a silence that usually only comes when the mind and body are at complete rest.  A tiny nightlight in the corner of the room, directed my vision toward my hands, resting casually in my lap. Why are my fingers so crooked with arthritis and my arms slightly turned inward with the constant pain of aching wrists?  As I labored to leave the chair and the darkness, my body fought the effort as I stumbled to rise and leave the room.

No, apparently, I lost the fight to walk into the darkness, so unwillingly I rested my head against the chair’s backrest and decided to accept the invitation from  the darkness of the night and closed my eyes.

I fought a tear falling onto my face as I felt my anger swelling against the pain and heartache of aging. I couldn’t face the present that night, so I accepted the past.  Memories flooded my thoughts as one by one the past visited me with a clarity I could never have imagined.

The hour was late and there were no sounds of life from out into the zero temperatures and howling wind.  I shuddered a little and felt grateful for the warmth and comfort that surrounded me. The silence  of the evening encouraged glimpses of the past and I felt touched by the warmth in my heart. 

I felt a strong tug from the past remembering our first Christmas together; a child was on the way and the three-room railroad apartment became a glorious look into my future.  The climb to the second floor on shaky outdoor wooden steps always placed a fear for me; I was uneasy with heights. However, as when we’re all young, I felt the future ahead of me filled with visions of creating and loving a family.

Another son and daughter arrived some years later.  Now we needed more room, and so we rented a little house that needed repairs and renovation.  It still didn’t matter. Now with two sons and a daughter, a  limited income and a devoted husband, life became less idyllic but happy.

The children grew, went to college, married and had children of their own.  The thrill of the season was ever present, for grandchildren came along, and the joy of watching them open their presents and being in awe when the Christmas tree lights were turned on.

Illness and death entered our lives and I became a young widow all too soon.  The children grew, I remained a widow for many years.Love visited, and Richard and I became man and wife.

I found myself looking at today, right now and suddenly the worries, and  the painful aging process left me, and I felt the warmth of love from my husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  The rapidly approaching Christmas season no longer left me feeling alone and without purpose,  for I felt rich and wise and loved.  It was time to rest, to sleep and to dream of many more happy, memorable days ahead.

 A happy holiday season to everyone!     

WINTER DAYS ARE ON THE HORIZON

 PREPARING FOR THE SNOW STORM BY MARIE DALLAS

The storm is coming!

The storm is coming!

On the radio you hear, “The storm is coming!”

It’s gonna be bad,

Charge up your KindleIPhone and IPad

The storm is coming!

In the office they say, “The storm is coming!”

Six inches-ten-twentyI

It’ll be a blizzard

The storm of the century!

The storm is coming!

On the tv you hear, “The storm is coming!”

The winds will blow

Pull out candles and matches

You’ll need their glow

The storm is coming!