“To many people holidays are not voyages of discovery, but a ritual of reassurance.” – Phillip Adams
It’s that time of the year again. Hug, kisses, candy canes, and, of course, presents are being shopped for and shared as the holiday season starts amping up. Materialism and personal gift ideas aside, this year is truly special for the simple reason many of us have the chance to spend quality time with our families both near and far. It’s the one time a year that almost guarantees a memorable experience featuring the people you care most about; and who care deeply for you. But as with all things good, time has a way of making the true jewels of your life fade away.
As someone who has lost several key family members and friends in my life throughout the last decade or so, the holiday season just doesn’t feel as festive as it once did. Trips up and down the road, visiting grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and buddies alike no longer occur. What used to be a daylong process of fun now barely lasts a few hours. The coldness late fall and early winter brings numbs the body now. Years ago, that same cold felt like the warmest days in my heart thanks the joy now-deceased loved ones provided.
I’m not the only one who struggles with a lacking feeling that comes with the holidays now. Your acquaintances, friends, even family members might be dealing with a sense of loss during a time where they should be happy. It becomes obvious that it is now up to us; the people who have lost the ones dearest to us to spread the same love and bring forth the same joy that those who departed this world gave us when they were here. For those dealing with the pain of loss during this season, remember what came before the pain. Use that proud feeling and give it to someone else. You never know what your love can do for a person.
