Personal Statement

Personal Statement

Friday, December 23, 2011

23 of 25: A Serious Moment

Because I can be serious when I want to be.   No, really, I can.

I gave the attorneys in my office beautiful wooden candlesticks made of reclaimed natural wood - very Pottery Barn-looking ones - along with white pillar candles.  Each one was unique, and each was accompanied by our family Christmas card with the following note affixed to the back.  And, yes, I quoted Scripture, because - irrespective of your religious affiliation (or lack thereof) - there's truth in the statement, and it is a truth that, I think, transcends all philosophies.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 
- John 1:5

There is a crack in everything; that's how the light gets in. 
- Leonard Cohen

Between my dad’s illness, 130,000 gallons of water gushing under our home and more insurance adjuster and general contractor problems than you can shake a stick at, the McGlincheys have had their share of dark moments in 2011. Thank you for being patient and for providing me with a much-needed sense of normality during “interesting times.”

When you have to pack up your entire life on a week’s notice, you develop a different relationship with tangible objects. I find myself buying less, and I am constantly asking myself and my children: “Do you care enough about this object to be willing to pack and move it?” If the answer is no, the item doesn’t make the cut. What does make the cut: things that are useful, unique or beautiful. This candleholder carved from reclaimed wood satisfies all three criteria – and, on a personal note, after many hours spent dealing with the realities of warped beams and joists, I find it therapeutic to be reminded that not all old wood is bad wood.

May you always see light at the end of the tunnel, and when you find yourself fretting over cracks, remember that that’s how the light gets to you.

I hope that the light always finds you, too.

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