Chairman’s Message: Christmas 2021

It was my 10^th Christmas when my dad asked my three brothers and me to reach into a bowl and pull out a poker chip. There were four chips—two red and two blue. Under the Christmas tree there were four long and narrow boxes. Each had either a red or blue ribbon attached to the wrapping.

One by one, we each pulled out a chip. Robert and I pulled the blue chips, Hugo and Ricky the red. We raced for the boxes, opening the ones whose ribbons matched the color of our chips. Hugo and Ricky found Remingtons in theirs. Robert and I got the Winchesters.

My oldest brother was 17 at the time, and my youngest brother was only 7; he couldn’t even hold his Winchester to his shoulder, and it was quite heavy for him as well. But the chip game made us all feel equal to each other, no more differences in age, height, or abilities. We felt equally loved by my father, equally proud that he trusted us with such a big responsibility. We were all united on that Christmas day, a unity that persists even now.

Christmas is a glorious time of year. It’s a time of generous sharing—the sharing of time, the sharing of our love, the sharing of our blessings with and for each other. Christmas is a time for all of us to feel proud, to feel grateful, to feel equal, to feel united. And, to feel unconditionally loved by our FATHER in Heaven.

Merry Christmas, and happy New Year. May God bless you with good health, abundant love, and lots of laughter.

Adolfo E. Gutierrez