Spot light on the family

The Scariest Halloween

Congratulations to Mac Peterson (Nancy and Alan’s son) and Emma Leavitt (Brent and Rachel’s daughter). They have both agreed to the scariest thing you can do---getting baptized at 8 years old, which happens to be near Halloween for these two. “But” you ask “why is baptism scary?” It isn’t for Emma and Mac, because they are brave. But it was very scary for me when I was 8 years old. In October of 1957, one of the scariest thing of my life happened. Grampa Thomas walked with me down into the baptismal font in a Sandy Chapel to baptize me and all that I could think about was how I was going to die in the water for sure. I didn’t know how to swim. But I wasn’t as smart as Emma or Mac. There was no possibility of drowning. No one knew what I was thinking, and I was farid to tell anyone what I was thinking. But the water was only 4 feet deep. All I had to do was stand up in the water. But much to my surprise, I survived that scarry October, and actaully became a member of the church at the same time. Actually, I mostly missed the whole baptism, because I was so worried. It's strange how fear gets so exaggerated that it takes over everything and you miss out on what is really happening in life. It's not the falling down that wrenches your back; it's the contortions to avoid the fall that puts you in permanent traction. So maybe it’s a good thing to have baptisms at Halloween. Maybe it’s good to pay attention to scary things once in a while, so when the real dangerous things come, they don’t scare us and we can think about what’s really important things in life, like ice cream. So with that point out of the way, let’s talk about two people who are more important and a little less scary than ghosts ---Emma and Mac.

Mac was baptized in September and Emma will be baptized in December. They are both smart, mature beyond their years, good musicians (Emma on the piano and Mac on the violin),and socially skilled. But they do have their differences. Mac is sensitive, and easy going. Emma is competitive, and strong willed.

Mac likes to listen to the news. He loves politcal discussions and commentary. He sees in the mirror of politics the reflection of his own bright and good-hearted soul. One day he announced to the family, “I think I might be president [of the Unitesd Staes one day]” Good for you, Mac. I hope that when you reach that age of political accountability, the world is ready for you.

As far as I know, Emma has no ambitions for the Whitehouse, but she is a determined figher in all that she does. She can speak Spanish well. But one day she came home from school frustrated that she couldn’t trill her R’s in Spanish. So she worked and worked all day until she got it. She worked so hard that at night she was trilling R’s in her sleep. Typical Emma. Emma the fighter, Emma the competant.

Congratulations to you both. And keep in mind that whether in politics or in Spain, the water is never more than 4 feet deep. It’s not as deep as it looks. Just stand up when trouble comes, and you will have a Happy Halloween.

Mark Thomas