PRESIDENT'S CORNER

President’s Corner for November 20, 2015

            Today’s excellent news is that Sonja is back from her medical leave, though she’ll be working abbreviated hours for a while. If you’re in the office, stop by and give her a hug and some love. Most of us have to struggle with tough physical challenges from time to time, so it’s an especially good time in this season of Thanksgiving, to be grateful for all those that give us care when needed, remember us in their thoughts and prayers and cards and calls. I’m thinking of Anne Nardi, of Vickie Fergus, of Angela’s daughter Ashley, of Janet Rogers, of Stan Cohen, of Mary Ellen Brady…and all those I either don’t know about or have innocently missed. And now, some wisdom…

            I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all, I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. [Writer Agatha Christie]

            We’re all of us a little greedy. (Some of us are plenty greedy.) We’re all somewhat courageous, and we’re all considerably cowardly. We’re all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual, unending struggle against those imperfections. [Actor Sidney Poitier]

            It looks likely that we may wake up to a modest covering of SNOW on Sunday morning, with a high of about 36, and Bonnie and I have to drive up to Oakland, PA to do some chaplain duty at our church, and then go to an organ recital at Shadyside Presbyterian church, a heavenly Romanesque pile of great beauty and spirit. If there are other organ nuts out there, this is part of the Organ Artist series, this time, with Jonathan Rudy, winner of the national AGO competition...4 PM. Remember, this is the guy (me) that taught a summer class on the Wanamaker Grand Court organ in Philly a few years ago…at least I don’t drink, right?

            Please have a thoughtful, thankful, blessed, eaterly, holiday next week and if you must, a bit of football on the side. I charge you, as your president, to find and tightly HUG at least 8 people that you love…or don’t love…next week…TIGHTLY!

Jim Held, President