Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published Dec. 22, 2004

Christmas is truly a special time of year

Few holidays can stir as many memories as Christmas. The remembrances that bubble to the top are mixed. Many Christmas days disappear from mind as quickly as the wrapping paper and ribbons vanish from sight. Thoughts of really special Dec. 25ths linger but they share a niche with those that were less than perfect. This is the tale of one of those holidays that began one way and ended another.

We moved from southern Ohio to mid-Michigan in the fall of 1968 because of a career upgrade for my husband. Our three sons were all working on their future and were not part of the move. Our daughter, the fourth member of the family, was a senior in high school but she assured us a move didn't bother her so we made the long haul pulling a horse trailer carrying her faithful four-footed pal. Many times during that long trip when I turned to talk to her in the back seat tears were trickling down her cheeks.

We settled into a small rental apartment which held many unpacked boxes until we could find a permanent home. Father's mind was filled with learning a new job. Daughter was involved in fitting into a new school surrounded by students she did not know. I realized very soon senior year was a poor time to transfer.

By the time Christmas Eve arrived the three of us were physically and emotionally exhausted. We were only half a family because the boys were not able to make the trip north. Adding to the general malaise I had picked up a flu bug and felt lousy. There were few ho, ho, hos as the evening began.

In contrast to that sad little scene in Michigan the radio was playing the seasonal music interspersed with the traditional news reports of Santa's progress as he guided his sleigh and reindeer through the skies. But in that year of 1968 Santa was sharing the vast space with three earthlings aboard Apollo 8.

On Dec. 21, the round trip from earth to the moon was launched. For Command Pilot Frank Borman, it was his second flight into space. He was accompanied by James Lovell Jr., enjoying his third flight, and rookie William Anders on his first flight. These three were the first human beings to venture to another body in the solar system.

On Dec. 23, they entered the moon's sphere of gravitational influence and made ten revolutions around the moon taking pictures. In those early days of space exploration we were still filled with awe at the accomplishments. On that Christmas Eve of 1968 our awe deepened when the radio interrupted its regular program to bring a message from Apollo 8 traveling 214,000 miles above Earth. We heard the voice of Cmdr. Borman speaking the first prayer from space.

Give us, O God, the vision which can see thy love in the world, in spite of human failure. Give us the faith to trust the goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts, and show us what each one of us can do to set forth the coming of the day of universal peace. Amen.

What began as a Dec. 25th to forget turned into one of the most unforgettable because of that brief inspiring message. May this Christmas of 2004 be a memorable one for you.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.