99th Epiphany Celebration….A ‘Family’ Affair’

Yesterday in Tarpon Springs, seventeen year old, Andrew McAdams III had his personal Epiphany when he spotted the white wooden cross as it glowed gold in the murky bayou waters of Spring Bayou….
Andrew was told, “I’m proud to pass the trophy off to you…”
by Jimmy Hughes his cousin and last years winner….
For about 20 seconds, the 43 divers searched and splashed before Andrew emerged with a wide smile and the cross…
“Once I got the cross, my whole body kind of went numb, I couldn’t move.” Wet and chilly, he stumbled to the dock and knelt for the ‘blessing’….
Amusingly, his mother pushed through the crowd…
“That’s my baby,” Dede McAdams cried, as the other divers cleared a path through the media so she could hug her only son…
A family affair to be sure…both boys attend Berkeley Preparatory School and also, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral….
Greek Orthodox boys in Tarpon Springs grow up dreaming of their day to dive…Andrew and his cousins would sit together on Epiphany and thing about when it would be their turn….
Yesterday was the culmination of both of their dreams….and as another cousin said, “It’s great that it stayed in the family….”

What is a ‘Family Affair’ in your family?
Are we recording, documenting, preserving that which is unique and sacred to our own family and culture?
We can never come back to these moments…..they are precious indeed…just ask Jimmy and Andrew….Or better yet, ask Dede McAdams, Andrews Mom….she will certainly attest to the significance of the ‘Good Life’ moment of January 6, 2005.…