Fringe Benefits

Christmas 2014 has come and gone. Its memories, friendships, meaningfulness linger. One of the after-effects is sitting down with my better half and going over all the cards again, together. Another fringe benefit for a man born way back in 1927 is that he actually does receive gifts and these vary from year to year. One gift that usually is given is a book, often carefully researched and deemed suitable.

Over the years, I have changed procedures somewhat. When I receive a book, I don't start reading it immediately. I read comments made by readers and the author, I look for information about the author (going online is a remarkable help), and inquire what else he or she may have written. Then I feel ready to tackle the book. Last year I received the volume Unbroken now a movie. It was a huge memorable book and the movie was long but somehow apparently concentrated on the earlier part of the book omitting the latter inadvertently or deliberately.

One of the books I received is called The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. Again, I looked up Jonathan and discovered that he was born into a Jewish family, left in search of an alternative religion or none at all, became disenchanted with atheism and became a Messianic Christian. Why I missed this 2011 book I am not sure but I am reviewing it in Spontaneous Reflections so I won't go into detail here.

The other book Orphan Train I received was carefully chosen for me as well. It is a novel written by Christina Baker Kline about, yes, an orphan train which ran from the East to the plains of the Midwest from 1854-1929 carrying thousands of orphans and abandoned children stopping from station to station where prospective parents could look them over. Incredibly, it ended when I was two years old and we all know somewhat of the plight and possible hope of millions of orphan types fleeing their homelands today.

Again, I explored the author, what else she has written, her education, birthplace and especially the P.S. Section at the end of the book which I soon will read in its entirety.

It is one thing to receive a gift; it is something else to be thankful, not only for the gift but for the giver who spent time, energy and thought over the recipient. I know it is difficult to give gifts to octogenarians. It takes extra effort just as it does for family and friends. So let me encourage you gift givers because you are most appreciated even if you may not be thanked as abundantly as you deserve.