This week’s column is about adjectives, and nouns and verbs —- love, laughter, caring, sharing, doing, being, contemplating, expecting, waiting, patience, forgiveness, humility, submission, silence, reverence, music, tears, shine, sparkle, glow, meditation, family, food, fun, festivities and the magic of the season.

We each have our own traditions and preferences on how our family celebrates but let’s talk about the magic we should feel all year.

Compassion for those less fortunate —- as a child I visited the “old folks home” with First Congregational in Andalusia to sing carols to those sweet people –– all poor, no place else to go.

I always told my Daddy we should adopt one for a live-in Granny! They all were so appreciative! Even back then (in the early ’50s) our church delivered food boxes. We went to houses that were more shacks than homes.

I’ve seen mothers cry when the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking hen etc. got delivered.

Wow, my little heart would sing with joy that our small church love offering had stretched so far!

I love to buy things for my four children, their spouses and my five grandbabies but the real sense of family and love I feel is when all my church family holds hands in a somber candlelight service.

We are free to ask for blessings, forgiveness or share a memory – whatever is the need for that particular person.

I also enjoy sitting and watching my grandbabies play and talk and share cookies and kisses and know that they are ours by God’s grace and they are all loved and cared for by so many good people.

We are truly blessed.

When I look back through my life I see God’s hand in so many things.

Why did I have to get so old to see these signs? It seems the less life we have left to live, the more observant and appreciative we become.

Feel it? If you don’t, you’re doing something wrong.

Find someone that has a need and you try to fulfill that need.

They may only need someone to listen for awhile.

Volunteer at church, school or hospital if you have time. If not, smile a lot, hold the door open for someone, or give that closer parking spot to someone else.

Sandra Thames is a community columnist for Alabaster. She can be reached by e–mail at bobthames1942@yahoo.com.