Timeless Treasure of Time Together

Jonathan Bellingham (third generation Capon family member) here...

With all the merry-making that goes on this time of year, I find myself pausing and reflecting about how holidays and traditions are interwoven into the fabric of our shared Capon experience. This year the calendar lined up just right so we could celebrate Easter on the front end and Veterans Day on the back end of the 2014 season. When you think about it, during our usual 6-month stretch we get to enjoy most of the three day holidays along with some really big ones like 4th of July and Halloween.  Even the traditional Thanksgiving feast doesn’t escape us as we enjoy every Saturday dinner with turkey and all the fixings. And for those of you who go back in years a ways, you can recall how we even used to celebrate Christmas in June. (Any former Capon Santas out there?)

Sign that hangs on Main House Porch

Of course many of you tell us that because of competing school schedules, extended family commitments and even the weather, Capon vacation time has become THE ONLY time to gather as an entire family. This is especially true for military families, who because of their transient nature of their assignments, Capon is the only stable “home” they know. The evidence of this situation abounds this time of year as we receive many family holiday photos that highlight the smiling faces of your clan gathered here this past year.

For those who have generational ties with our family, those shared times connect all of us to even deeper heritage memories. And not to get too “smaltzy” on you, but as I watch the usual Hallmark Christmas movies this month, the message that comes through most of them is the same. One of the most important things we can do as parents to develop and support healthy, fulfilling family relationships is to provide opportunities to create and relive shared memories.

I relearned this lesson recently when our son Stephen was home for Thanksgiving during his first real visit from his freshman year at the Air Force Academy. Besides playing in the snow and enjoying a great meal, we watched some home movies.  Along with the videos of multiple family vacation and holiday gatherings, we found one that included his
first aviation experience just before his 6th birthday.  How rewarding it was to see him connect with his younger self as he now realizes the fruits of that foundational experience!


As you reconnect with family and friends at the end of this month, may you be blessed by shared memories, as well as be a blessing to others who may not be as fortunate to experience such love.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Capon,

Jonathan

~For the Capon Family

Jonathan, Betsy, Stephen & Katie during trip last year to Colorado Springs, CO.