by Cookie Curci

Well, the war finally ended, and all five of Grandma's sons came home remarkably safe and sound. After a while, Grandma and Grandpa retired, and the family farm became part of a modern expressway.

I never did find out what the money in the sugar crock was for... until a week or so before last Christmas. Completely on impulse, perhaps feeling the wonder of the Christmas season and the need to connect with its spiritual significance, I stopped at a little church I just happened to be driving past. I'd never been inside before, and as I entered the church through the side door, I was stunned to come face to face with the most glorious stained-glass window I'd ever seen.

I stopped to examine the intricate beauty of the window more closely.

The magnificent stained-glass depicted the Holy Mother and child. Like an exquisite jewel, it reflected the glory of the very first Christmas. As I studied every detail of its fine workmanship, I found, to my utter amazement, a small plaque at the base of the window that read, "For a favor" received--donated in 1945 by Maria Carmela Curci-Dinapoli. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was reading Grandma's very words! Every day. as Grandma had said her prayers for her soldier-sons, she'd also put whatever money she could scrape together into her sacred sugar crock to pay for the window.

Her quiet donation of this window had been her way of saying thank you to God for sparing the lives of her beloved five sons.

The original church in which the window was placed had long ago been torn down. Through the generations, the family had lost track of its existence. Finding this window at Christmas time, more than half a century later, not only brought back a flood of precious memories, but also it made me a believer in small but beautiful miracles.

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

This article by Cookie Curci is featured in the book titled Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul: Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Grandparents by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Meladee McCarty and Hanoch McCarty. You can purchase a copy by clicking on the book to your right.

Shops/Stores

Italiansrus Gear
Proudly display the colors of Italy with these great products.

RomeGiftShop
Purchase souvenirs & gifts from Rome & Italy. Get FREE postcards from Rome.

Italian Charms
Huge selection of Italian charms and jewelry.

FORZIERI.com
The world largest online retailer for Premium Italian Fashions.