Celebration of Hope
One of Dr. Pfister’s staff members, Connie, celebrates the birth of her grandson.
Season’s Greetings to all my readers!
How are you holding up to the various levels of physical, emotional, and financial stress that usually rears its head this time of year? My publicist said to keep this blog “short and sweet” because everybody is so busy that they don’t have time to read any wordy dissertation on Santa Clause, elves, or the need to behave this time of year.
Speaking of short and sweet, what do you think about newborns?
Being a student of biology and watching my staff get all giddy over another staff person becoming a grandma, a thought came to me. Isn’t it interesting how excited we get about birth? And I mean all types and sizes of birth. Let me share a few examples with you…
Over the last several years we have had several does take up residence in our woods behind our lake. I spend all winter hauling corn back by sled or wheel barrel with the faith that, if nourished during the rough times, they will make it through ‘til Spring and my family and I can enjoy their natural beauty all Summer.
Each Spring, I have been blessed not only by the return of the does, but one or two will bless us with fawns — each a delicate miniature of their parents, with splendor and beauty (but cloaked in an innocence and a reassurance of tomorrow that only a newborn can exhibit).
Who has not laid on the floor to play with a puppy or kitten and felt better for it? And how about each time someone close to us has a baby? We race to the hospital or to their home to see this “little” wonder. And there we marvel and comment on the daintiness of fingers and toes or which parent contributed more DNA! The coming together of two separate entities — with the unique union of two sets of 23 pairs of chromosomes — is truly the amazing blessing of birth felt during this Season of Christmas…
One for the memory books - Dr. Pfister cuddles his oldest son, Steve, as an infant.
Though every birth may not be marked by a great star in the East, we must give credit where credit is due. “For God so loved the world…”
As we enjoy this Season of Christmas, with all the hustle and bustle, let us not forget that this is also a Season of Faith. Faith that it happened, long ago, under a great star in a manger, that a boy child was born to Mary and Joseph. And the world was infinitely better for it!
It is also a Season of Hope. Hope that through our faith, we can conquer our fears and trust our creator to help us navigate the pathway of life, especially when we lack still waters. Knowing that death is inevitable for all of us, everyone’s final chapter, our faith in our Creator will not let death be our victor. And through the birth of his Son, we will celebrate this Season of Christmas with thankfulness for our blessings and hope for each of our futures — the hope that burns deep inside all of us and fuels us to be the best we can be as we go out into the world each day.
Let us strive to make a positive difference in our part of the world, leaving it a better place than we found it.
And yes, it is a Holy Night with stars that are brightly shining… it is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.
Please take a moment during this holiday season to count your blessings and reflect for a moment on the true meaning of Christmas.
Each of us are blessed with a set of chromosomes that makes us unique and special. It is our responsibility to our Divine Creator that we use them wisely and for the greater good.
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of my staff and my family, to wish all my readers a very joyous Christmas Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
- Dr. Pfister