All posts by Jenny Munro

It's time, I've decided, that writing for pleasure becomes as important as for-profit writing. After more than 30 years of reporting and technical writing, the award-winning journalist, nominated for the Pulitzer Prize twice, said she free-lances for a weekly newspaper and writes personal pieces – poetry, memoir and blog. She plans a photographic book of Psalms, a family cookbook and a Reedy River history. Retirement in Greer leaves time to relax and cogitate, travel, care for family, read and photograph. But the writing is always there as it has been since she was 12 and wrote her first – and only - novel about space travel.
jenny munro, reflections

what is Christmas?

Christmas for me has always been a time of magic.

It’s a time when peace is on the lips of all – even when it’s in the actions of just a few.

The season is a period of joy and quiet, or even exuberant, happiness as the timeless tale of the nativity is told again or viewed through the eyes of children..

Did you see that sheep lose it’s place. It happens all the time in pageants. And towels only look like headdresses at Christmastide.

It’s Christmas trees, the tannebaum of Germanic lore, and bright lights glimmering and silver bells ringing.

Christmas is the manger with a donkey and a camel as well as Santa Claus kneeling in front of it.

The holiday is also a holy day.

It’s a time of reflection (all of us should do as Mary did and ponder many things in our hearts).

It’s a time of giving, the one time of year that people try to think of others more than themselves.

It’s family, those that gather round the fire or the Bible and those in far-off places who gather with us in our memories and imaginations. It may also be crying babies and squabbling adults. But it doesn’t really matter. We’re all in it together.

Children all pray for snow, a glistening whiteness covering all the dreary darkness of the world.

What I like most about Christmas is that it’s a time of new beginnings: We have another chance to be the best we can be.

Let’s try it out this year.