By James Tricoli
AMHERST TIMES
On Christmas Eve 2017, a kind of miracle occurred at the 9:00 a.m. mass at Ss. Peter & Paul R.C. Church.
At the end of mass I dipped my hand in the Holy Water. As I turned my head I found myself looking in to the eyes of a beautiful lady who I immediately recognized. She looked at me and said, “Jim, Jim!” Her eyes lit up and there was a huge smile on her face. She said, “I haven’t seen you in 5 years.”
This special lady was Mary Lopian. Mary and I go back almost 40 years when both of us were members of the Amherst Democratic Committee. Mary lived only about three streets away from me.
As age does to some of us, Mary developed Dementia, but at this Christmas Eve mass Mary’s eyes lit up and her smile was genuine, warm and wide. Her mind for this moment cleared and she remembered me and was filled with the joy of remembering a close friend.
I floated out of church with the most warm, beautiful feeling I’ve had in years. To me this was life changing experience.
God bless you Mary.
Originally published on Amherst Times. Republished with permission.
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