Coming of Age

By Alfred Colo

Dont just make money. Make memories. Find time to do something, even though you know you cant be counted on to promise to be there to feel proud of your kids every time; make exceptions in your busy schedules to create memories, and never again let even one slip away; theyre too precious not to remember, and too easy to lose.

You may not feel qualified for your heart to step in to take on the task. Why you? Perhaps the problem is that you may not know, nor have a clue about your kids dreams. Feel to find if your heart is still beating, to attempt something this important. Being too busy, trying to earn a living, you cant seem to focus your attention on them long enough to make a loving, let alone memories, since youre not there for them as often as youd like-and ought to be.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 31, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453552766

Alfred Colo

Alfred Colo, a former singer-songwriter, has immersed himself in full-blown poetry from creative love lyrics he honed his craft on when he realized that his passion for words lay beyond mere expressions of amour. His initial attempt at self-publishing with Xlibris Corporation in 2008 is a nature lover’s view in poetry through the four seasons, entitled Inside Looking Out. Reluctant at first, not offering too much material at once for reasons both pragmatic and artistic, he later ventured to expand his theme with residual material not included in his first book on four seasons alone. As his appetite grew, he knew that there was more he had to say in his accumulated poetry since 1984, which begged inclusion of more poems on the related twelve months of a year beyond the four seasons. After years of creative writing, learning and perfecting his art, he felt it was worthy enough and the right time to make public what eventually has become this collection. He trusts that his reading followers will concur that it was indeed worth the effort to have written a “companion book” to its predecessor, Inside Looking Out. Alfred lives in New Fairfield, Connecticut, after compelling circumstances led him here to exit the Big Apple. Including this one, he has authored twelve books pictured with others to follow. An active octogenarian, Alfred pursues his prolific outpourings on a variety of subjects at a still-going-like sixty white-heat rate. See if you can keep pace with a poet determined to make a mark and to leave a legacy to be proud of. He captures the spirit of his works by suggesting wholly or in part what the cover design will look like on both front and back. From his New Fairfield, Connecticut, home, author Alfred Colo finds inspiration in the abundant wild life he observes and includes in his writing. Other favorite creatures he depicts are angels, nativity scenes and yes, even Santa. Colo’s writings, are rich in detail and luminous in depth and like much of his work, it transcends its confines to achieve a dimensional reality infused with spiritual peace, whimsy, originality and creative imagination, singular cheer and good will. “I relish re-creating scenes of simple, uncomplicated faith,” Colo adds. Responding to an inner childhood calling, the author has created a succession of works as a diverse poet of impressive stature, rivaling his predecessors and role models. He is enabled to keep-fresh the approximately two-thousand-year gap from BC Bethlehem to the current beliefs in Christianity in his re-creation of this advent Christmas story of Jesus nativity.

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Copyright © 2010 by Alfred Colo.

ISBN: Softcover    978-1-4535-5275-9

ISBN: Ebook        978-1-4535-5276-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

Cover Designed By: The Author.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

72553

Or You can contact:

Alfred Colo

203-746-2218

CONTENTS

ALPHA & OMEGA

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HIS COMING OF AGE

PART ONE (ALPHA) (TITLES: A-Z)

Coming of Age

Alex in Wonderland

Among The Branches

Be There

Between The Hay And The Grass

Boy, 8, Sees World As Hungry Place

KIDS’ CHRISTMAS SECTION:

At Christmas

The Best Christmas Ever

Baby Talk

Boy To The World

The Camel of Jesus

Christmas At Granny’s

Christmas Is

Find Your Baby, Jesus

Early Christmas Morning

For Christmas

For Somebody’s Christmas

Green Christmas

In The Nick of Time

Just a Heart Beat Away

Merry Christmas Young

No Chimney Required

Once Upon A Christmas

Rocking Stockings

The Santa Question

Save Santa The Trip

Small Miracles

The Taste Of Snow

The Unwanted

What If There Was No Santa? (with Image)

What Inn Was This?

When I Was Very Young

Where Are The Snows Of Yesterday?

The Youngest Lisper

TITLES CONTINUED:

Cries In The Wilderness

Discovery

Down Time

KIDS’ EASTER

The Carpenter’s Kid

Did Ya Ever See An Easter Bunny?

Easter Is A Jolly Time

A Donkey’s ‘Tale’ (Plus Image..3 pgs)

TITLES (A-Z) CONTINUED:

An Empty Cradle

Failure To Launch

A Father Can Dream

Feed a Child. Save a Life

First Love

Fly Balloon & Family Circus (Image)

A Fractured Fairytale

Fright Night

Hide And Seek

How Sweet It Is!

I’m A Polar Bear"

It’s A Boy! You Have a Son!

Just A Scream Away (plus Image)

Jack-O-Lantern Lore (Image)

Just Enough Snow For A Snowman (Image)

Kids of Summer

Kid’s Still Say The Darndest Things

Limbo

Little Boy Lost (A movie review)

Little Red Head (Raggedy Ann) & Image

The Longest Day (Father’s Day)

Loretta

Love Child (Valentine)

MOTHERS’ DAY

Mother Mine

Our Mom

Image (Three In One):

Our Patient Mom

Mother’s Day Special

The Most Precious Love Of All . . .

CONTINUED: (TITLES A-Z)

The Mouse Trap

Oh, Mister Boy

O, Brother.(Humor)

Penguins

Praise The Lord

The Promise

Protection:

Psalm 23—By Heart

Ride A Painted Pony

Rock-A-By Rhythm

S.A.T.

Scarecrow (with Image)

School Days

Since Jesus Came Into My Heart

Sound Advice

The Story Hour (Benefits of Reading)

Sweet Dreams

Tadpole

Tiny, Teen-Age Heart

Unconditional Love (A Valentine)

What’s The Buzz?

When Children Ask

Who Dat?

With Me, Not Without Me

Won’t You Be My Valentine?

Youth

Note:

See Part Two—Omega (A-Z for Contents Balance)

ALPHA & OMEGA

Its meaning is found in the fact that alpha (A) and omega (Ω) are respectively the first and last letters of the Classical (Ionic) Greek alphabet. This would be similar to referring to someone in English as the A and Z. Thus, twice when the title appears it is further clarified with the additional title the beginning and the end (21:6, 22:13).

Though many commentators and dictionaries apply this title both to God and to Christ, secular scholars note otherwise.4 Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (1974) observes: It cannot be absolutely certain that the writer meant to refer to the Lord Jesus specifically here . . . There is no real incongruity in supposing, also, that the writer here meant to refer to God as such. However, most Christian denominations teach that it does apply to Jesus and God as they are one.

Therefore the letters Alpha and Omega in juxtaposition are often used as a Christian visual symbol (see examples). The letters were shown hanging from the arms of the cross in Early Christian art, and some crosses in precious metal have formed letters hanging in this way. In fact, despite always being in Greek, the letters became more common in Western than Eastern Orthodox Christian art. They are often shown to the left and right of Christ’s head, sometimes within his halo, where they take the place of the christogram used in Orthodox art.

This symbol was suggested by the Apocalypse, where many believe that Christ, as well as the Father, is the First and the Last (ii, 8); the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (cf., xxii, 13; i, 8). Clement of Alexandria (2nd century, philosopher and commentator on pagan and Christian information) speaks of the Word as the Alpha and the Omega of Whom alone the end becomes beginning, and ends again at the original beginning without any break (Stromata, IV, 25). Tertullian (lawyer, theologian) also alludes to Christ as the Alpha and Omega (De Monogamiâ, v), and from Prudentius (Cathemer., ix, 10) we learn that in the fourth century the interpretation of the apocalyptic letters was still the same: Alpha et Omega cognominatus, ipse fons et clausula, Omnium quae sunt, fuerunt, quaeque post futura sunt. It was, however, in the monuments of early Christianity that the symbolic Alpha and Omega had their greatest vogue.

This phrase is interpreted by many Christians to mean that Jesus existed from eternity (as the second person of the Trinity), and will exist eternally.

Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, signifying that God is the beginning and the end, or eternal. The symbols were used in early Christianity and appear in the Roman catacombs.

INTRODUCTION

COMING OF AGE:

Don’t just make money. Make memories. Find time to do something, even though you know you can’t be counted on to promise to be there to feel proud of your kids every time; make exceptions in your busy schedules to create memories, and never again let even one slip away; they’re too precious not to remember, and too easy to lose.

You may not feel qualified for your heart to step in to take on the task. Why you? Perhaps the problem is that you may not know, nor have a clue about your kids’ dreams. Feel to find if your heart is still beating, to attempt something this important. Being too busy, trying to earn a living, you can’t seem to focus your attention on them long enough to make a loving, let alone memories, since you’re not there for them as often as you’d like-and ought to be.

Don’t miss out on the significance of memories; they come only once in a lifetime and are too soon gone, as we become (too soon old, and too late smart)-to quote an old German saying. Be open to some of the smallest things, which can be life-changing; even a new pair of shoes can make someone feel special for a while anyway. Smile a whit. Check the fit. Walk a bit in their shoes. Come on! Up on your toes now!

Childhood, the Alpha, is the start of life’s new horizons and possibilities. The age of innocence are the formative years of developing all that you are into all that you can and will become.

From yawning incubators stretch tiny limbs and fingers, reaching up in cradles, stirring with new life, learning to root themselves in a strange and wonderful, mysterious new world, alive with excitement, and enchantment. Impressionable enough to be taught, anxious to learn, to absorb, they become veritable sponges, willing to follow the closest role models and mentors—through puberty and young adulthood. Unknowingly wanting, while craving to be disciplined into young adulthood, they are further ushered into active-middle age and beyond, until the Omega of their lives kicks in to full harvest—in the fall of life, mellowed by the fruits of the spirit, and with an enabling wisdom to impart all they’ve learned—to a next generation of listeners, eagerly searching for the great unknowns. We’re now looking into a mirror darkly for further assurances confirming our hopes of life hereafter, in a perfect world of truth, faith, and justice-in a Divine and Spiritual Kingdom of second chances.

With the age of exploration, further education in the pursuit of excellence, achieved on chosen plateaus of desire and destiny,—comes a longing to follow, until the ability to command is willed by others and yourself, to take charge.

From the playgrounds of pleasure, through carefree, bright beginnings, comes an initial training to develop for future responsibilities and with the experience, like us, to create certain paths to their ultimate future destinations.

Hatched from myriad shells of bursting embryos, untried wings dare to risk first flight into daunting uncertainty, to face the life or death experience into the unknown, willing to leave their nests of nurture, protection and safety, plunging through alien skies earthbound, unwelcomed, and often hostile to their fragility, nor even supportive in further assuring their survival. But with proper dedication to a willingness to shape them, as clay, thrown against the turnings of process, they can be molded by creative hands, experienced enough to design their future fulfillment.

What possibilities there are for the asking to become, take, and extend the arm’s range of newborns in the crucible, rocking the cradle out of dormancy into larger dimensions of awakening dreams; anxiety comes of age, prepared to stand on its