Blessing

Tradition gathers around Christmas. Pageants and homecomings and longed-for preparations repeat themselves year after year and become treasured lifetime rituals. I have lived 57 years in what long ago became my beloved home Guyana and I have spent 56 Christmases here. Over the last 30 years I have come to know and with a heart full of thanks look forward to the ceremonies of the season created by my wife.

From the start and forever these are for the children but I also joyfully benefit: the fresh curtains and polished furniture and the stored Christmas cloths and tableware brought out, the fruit liquor-set for the Christmas cake, the sorrel drink brewed and spiced, the