1950
Born. I went to my birth certificate for the following information. I was born to Enrico Jerome Messina and Camilla Margaret Deken at 12:20 p.m. on Sunday May 7, 1950, at Saint Anthony’s Hospital in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. My father was born in Benald Illinois, on June 20, 1916 and my mother was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 13, 1918. They were married at St. Mary and Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Louis, and resided at 2126 Laclede Station Road in Maplewood Missouri when I was born. I was 18 ½ inches in length and weight 6 pounds 14 ounces at birth. In some very old papers I found in my trunk of treasures, it referred to me being christened as Christina Michele Messina on May 28, 1950. My Uncle Justin Deken and Aunt Mary Lou Deken were my sponsors. I was christened at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Brentwood, Missouri at 1:00 p.m. Listed as those present were only: Papa, Uncle Justin and Aunt Lou. When I asked why I was christened Christina Michele instead of Michele Christina, one of my aunts told me that the priest at that time insisted the Michele was no saint’s name and therefore would not do it! Already I was in trouble! Boy, I would have liked to have listened to that conversation between the priest and my parents! I’m sure someone brought up the name “Saint Michael!”
Color Eyes: Brown
Hair: BlondeBaby’s
First Toy: Rag Doll
First Smile: Laughed when she saw her father
First Shoes: At nine months
First Stood Alone: At eight months
First Steps: At eight months and one hour
I remember life with mom was short lived by it was what is classified now as “quality time.” I also remember getting into trouble even before I was six because I remember drawing with my crayons on the wall of her sewing room. Don’t ask how I remember this, but it happened. I remember Flash Gordon coloring books as well. I remember Miss Phoebe and her cooking. We had breakfast with eggs, bacon, toast and grits. We weren’t from the South but Miss Phoebe was and the grits were great! I still eat them today and remember mornings in the kitchen in Belleville. I know we moved several times before they bought a house in Belleville, Illinois. While mom still had her health, she painted murals in several of the rooms. The one she painted in our girls room was of Mary as a child with a bird on her hand. I remember evenings in the summer when we sat outside with neighbors and the adults talked while us kids played. I remember many good times of a simpler life and lots of love and caring.
1956
When mom passed on, dad sold the house and moved us back to St. Louis so we could be closer to relatives. He worked evenings on the railroad and until we were old enough to stay by ourselves, we had adult supervision while he was gone. We moved around a lot as dad kept moving us up to better, affordable living quarters and some boxes just didn’t get unpacked. Once we lived over what we called “the barbell gym.” We didn’t live there long because it wasn’t as clean as dad had thought. It was a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bath. We were a close family with lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins; and for most of our youth this was our community. Dad sent us to St. Anthony of Padua School and we wore uniforms like all Catholic kids that marked the school we attended. If we went to Ted Drew’s after school for frozen custard, we knew who was coming from a block away just by what they were wearing. Carole and Martha went to their high school as well. By the time I was old enough for high school, we moved several times. My high school years were spent in this order: Freshman: St. Anthony’s, Sophomore: Cleveland High School, Junior: Afton High School, and Senior year at Roosevelt High School.
1968
Graduated from Roosevelt High School, St. Louis, MO.
1971
Went to Hawaii alone on vacation for the first time.
1973
February 17, 1973 I married John Charles Long. It was an unusually cold day with sunshine and snow mixed. By summer we had ate all the hot dogs in the city of St. Louis and saved enough money to buy our home. We bought our home at 1531 Shoppers Lane, in Crestwood, MO and lived there for the next twenty years.
1974
March 12, 1974 Jason Michael Long was born to us. He was a month overdue, had a full head of hair, and all the features and characteristics of a one-month-old child. He went immediately on cereal and we couldn’t keep him fed! We were clumsy first parents but everything we did, we did with love.
1977
April 18, 1977 Gina Maria Long was born to us. She was so tiny compared to Jason and she squeaked. Each time she would breath, she would let out a squeak. The nurse said it was all right and would stop in time, and it did! It was the year we had our Green – Go Van. Jason and J.C. came to the hospital together to bring home Gina and me. Jason loved his little sister from the beginning. We listened to a Johnny Horton eight track on the way home from the hospital and sang the songs together. When we got home, Jason sat on the sofa and we placed Gina in his arms so he could hold her. Ah! A Precious Moment!
1993
I gave John his freedom through the legalities of divorce.
1995
John was informed that he had contracted leukemia and we reconciled. Two weeks later he died.
1998
December: After 30 years of service at one financial company, I and a few others in our division found ourselves without employment suddenly when our boss died and new management took over.
1998
I sub-contracted on at Busch Entertainment to be a member on their Y2k team. It offered an insight into the workings of amusement parks; gave me the opportunity to travel and meet new friends. I was inches away from Baby Shamu when it did its first trick in training!
1999
December: Joined Morgan Stanley.
2002
In August of 2002 I decided to venture outside the financial industry and into something humane in order to help people. It wasn’t the right time, the right place, or the right job.
2002
December: Finding myself without a permanent job description, I am creating floral arrangements on Thursdays, preparing and going on interviews, working part time at the Jewish Community Center’s front desk; and in the evenings, working on this web site as well as continuing my writings.
2003
January 24, 2003: After searching for the right path for me to take back to God, I found it. A friend invited me to her Torah study group last year and during Passover I realized that I was a Jewish soul all along. When I became a Jew, I took the name “Simcha (Joy)” as my new Jewish Name. My writings in my book “Visions” reflect aspects of the Jewish faith long before I knew that there was a connection. Friends tell me “they thought I always was Jewish!” I can question life without whispering now. This is the most comfortable I have felt ever about my faith and my path through life and back to God. As you read “Visions,” please keep in mind that it was written long before I had any formal introduction to Judaism although there are threads of similarities, possibly from my prior Catholic background, since there are similarities and the Catholic faith branched off from the Jewish faith. Any new works since I became a “Jew by Choice” will be found in a new section called “Oy!”