We have joy, anticipation and hope

By Peggy Zabicki

Your correspondent in West Lawn

3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327

It’s Christmas Eve. We have joy. We have anticipation. We have hope.

We deal with the ups and downs and business as usual as we experience the wonder of the season. The wonder keeps us going.

Here’s some good news. The West Lawn Branch Library is scheduled to open on Jan. 18. It has been closed for so long! I had been discouraged as I read about other libraries across the city that are now open seven days a week. I was wishing that our branch could be open even a couple of days a week.

West Lawn Librarian Jose Gallegos let me know that the opening date is coming soon. Jose also told me that he is once again holding online movie discussions. The next one will take place on Monday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. The movie discussion group is called Reel Deal Movie Club. They will discuss The Matrix and Spider-Man via Zoom. Registration is required. Get a registration link by sending an email to Jose at [email protected]

Condolences to the family and friends of Catherine Supanich, long time proprietor of the Lawn Lanes bowling alley. May she rest in peace.

Happy Birthday wishes to Jenny Cole from the Calvary Lutheran Church senior club members. May the dear Lord bless you.

Have you visited the West Lawn Free Book library box in West Lawn Park lately? The cute little cabinet containing donated books has been stolen. It was located near the playground on the north side of the park, near 65th and Kildare. All that remains is the post it was built on. If you want to donate or take books I know there is another little library cabinet at 64^th Place and Lawndale. There are other little libraries in our neighborhood. If anyone knows the location of any of the others, let me know.

Thank you to West Lawn neighbor Eddie Guillen for collecting donations of food, clothing, baby diapers and more for the people of Mayfield, Kentucky. Eddie and some of his friends rented a truck, loaded it with the donations and drove to Kentucky on Decc. 18 to deliver needed supplies to people who lost their homes during the recent tornadoes. As the people of Mayfield wait for government help, these donations from the people in our neighborhood provide immediate help. Thank you to all who helped with donations, money and their time.

Thank you to Steve for your gift of a poinsettia plant. It is beautiful. How thoughtful. I was delighted to find it on my front porch. I’m grateful it wasn’t stolen by “porch pirates” like so many packages and deliveries these days. It would be nice if the thieves would take a holiday break!

Happy three-month birthday to baby Tommy Burns! To Life!

Along with the good news and the bad news, it is Christmas Eve. We have births and deaths. We have good neighbors and bad. We have theft and crime. We have birthdays and celebrations.

We still have joy. We still have anticipation. We still have hope. We have hope that next year will be better. Why do we have this hope? It is because long ago a baby was born who is the light of the world. Whether you are a believer or a non-believer, that birth was the beginning of the hope and the celebration. That baby is why we give each other presents and bake Christmas cookies and decorate our homes and wear funny holiday sweaters and go to midnight Mass and light Advent candles and send Christmas cards to each other. That baby is the real reason we have hope through the loneliness, the sadness, the celebrations, the smiles and the tears.

All is calm. All is bright.