I am writing to say how much I enjoyed the beautiful Christmas story “Seeing the world through old new eyes” (Commentary, Dec. 19), by David McGrath, English professor emeritus, College of DuPage. It is always worthwhile to be reminded of what the season should mean.
We should all stop and reflect, as McGrath does in recollecting his grandmother. What a beautiful tale of priorities acknowledged.
I don’t know that I ever fully realized what McGrath did at his young age–to set aside our own priorities for just a minute and enjoy the world for a moment through the eyes of another, another who is capable of appreciating what we cannot.
In our youth-obsessed culture, McGrath reminds us to value the appreciations of older folks. It takes decades of living to truly understand what Christmas is about, what life itself should be about: pure, simple, joyful appreciation.
Both children and the elderly intuitively grasp what the rest of us cannot.
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