Ho, Ho, Ho Miracles Are Real
Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 38 seconds
Jan and I volunteered with the Montrose Volunteer Ambulance Squad in East Williamsburg when we first married.
Christmas Eve, especially in 1976, was the most challenging day to staff a crew.
I had grown up celebrating the holiday, but Jan had not. We volunteered for the overnight shift.
We started at 7 pm on Friday. Fortunately, we only had a few calls.
Sleeping in our clothes in the bunk beds in the basement was not ideal for a restful night.
As we left in the morning, snow flurries fluttered across Graham Avenue.
Across the street, we heard some chanting, “Ho, ho, ho, and a Merry Christmas!
Simultaneously, we saw a glimpse of a man with a red hat carrying a cloth bag filled with toys over his shoulders.
As our exhausted bodies floated across the empty streets to our apartment, it felt like miracles were possible.
Many may have waited for Santa Claus this morning or celebrated the birth of their savior.
Jan and I celebrated that day, and every day, we celebrated the miracle of life and the need to repair the world.
That night in the ambulance squad, we had been a light for those in need, not unlike the early morning Santa Claus.
Jan has been gone for almost twenty months. I miss her more than ever, but the memory from 1976 reminds me that I must light the candle not only on Chanukah but every day to be a light for others.
That is the miracle that gives life meaning and purpose.
The Jan Lilien Education Fund sponsors ongoing sustainability and environmental awareness programs. Gifts made this month; I will match dollar-for-dollar. All donations are tax-deductible.
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