Ghosts of Christmas Past- 1981

Once again our family gained a member. In November 1981 we welcomed our youngest child, a son, to the family. This was back in the dark ages when you didn't know if the baby would be a boy or a girl until the birth. Since he was a boy and it appeared that none of my siblings were going to have any more children he was named John. Why John? Perhaps this picture will help explain.

Everyone in this picture is a John Sutor. My Dad, John G Sutor, my Grandfather John J Sutor, my son John D R Sutor and my older brother John Jay Sutor. It made things interesting later when someone would call looking for John Sutor. We would start with what age John Sutor? Things got a bit more complicated because one of my cousins was John M Sutor who was an owner of Consumers Grain and Supply.

In a way 2015 helped me understand 1981. It is because 2015 was the first year we spent away from our children and grandchildren. I understood this picture a bit better.

This is a picture of my Grandparents John and Harriet celebrating Christmas in 1981 in Connecticut. In Illinois they have a daughter, son in law, three grandsons and five great grandchildren. This year I understood the pain of separation. You want to be where you are and you want to be with your children and grandchildren. To the best of my recollection the only Christmas I was with them was the year of my birth 1954. My children and grandchildren never celebrated Christmas with them. I know there were telephone calls, cards and letters exchanged. They are weak substitutes for actually being there. Technology has changed in the last 30+ years and on December 23rd this year we were able, via facetime, to watch our youngest son's three girls open the Christmas gifts we sent them. Was it as good as being there? No. Something is lost along the way. The hugs, the complete scene, the smells, the joy of being together. You live long enough and you get to experience things that show you what is was like for someone else. Joy and happiness can be linked to and experienced at the same time as sadness and separation.