This has been such a crazy year; a number of family members passing away, and my own health scare (which turned into heart surgery over the summer, and nearly having a code blue called on me in recovery). Now I'm healthy, in law school, and a first-time homeowner. Talk about a roller coaster.

Hope everyone has a great holiday season with their loved ones.

Hey Dude, a life saved is good especially when it is yours!:)

That is a Plus in any book!:)

Back at You for a fine Holiday, You desireve it!:)

Thanks for bumping this thread :) It actually brought tears to my eyes.

Happy Holidays everyone and cherish your time with everyone you love :)

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
 

My family is living and I although I have yet to have clue about what its like to have an immediate family member pass, I was taught a long time ago that while alone you develop your own "family" traditions.

Now, my husband barely celebrates the Holidays, where we barely see any immediate family members, we are thankful to each other. And we are developing our own "family" traditions...

I purchase exotic meats for him to eat: i.e. Alligator Snapping Turtle or Bear Bacon... I just got him some pricey Kobe tenderloin for him...

And I'm a vegetarian.

It's one of the best Christmases I've had in a long time!

In keeping with this rather wonderful thread may I offer a toast:

To Present Company and Absent Friends!

Thank you, James, for reminding us what all of this is really all about.

Thank you, all GCers who have contibuted to the thoughts expressed in this thread.

Don't know why this was the 1st time I've seen this thread, but I'm glad that I did. I just got back from my grandmother's house in NC (where I grew up) and I think because this has been such a difficult and crazy year for me, I had to go home this year. Normally for me, I want to go home, but this year, I needed to be home, and I'm so glad I went. It was, in the words of a Kelly Price song, a "Healing for my Soul". No amount of medicine could have done what that visit did for me. There were 4 generations of women in that house, and 8 of my grandmother's 10 grandchildren were there, as well as 5 of her 10 great-grandchildren. Yes, family can and will sometimes work the nerves, but I wouldn't trade them for anything.

A timeless thread for us all.
 

Seems like I've been doing this thread bump every year now. It's an honor to do so.

Happy Holidays, GreekChat.

Thank you, OTW.

Hopefully James' message will touch someone one of these days and cause him or her to see their family in a new light. I've lost a number of loved ones in my immediate family and, though I am grateful to still have three left, it's important to be reminded about what we do have.

.....Kelly :)

Thanks for doing that honey, cuz I was looking to do it, if you had not already.

Yes, this is the time of year to count one's blessings and think of those who might not be having such a happy Christmas. My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer and a friend of mine in Calgary just got home from her Dad's funeral.

And so, I think of them, as I have my Christmas with my family.

My thanks also to OTW for bumping this thread. My father passed away on November 9th and although he was 80 and in poor health, I'm still coming to grips with the fact that he's actually gone.

{{{HUGS}}} to all GCers who have suffered similar losses.

So touching... (((((HUGS JAMES)))))

I lost my older brother 9 years ago after he returned from an office Christmas party. The holidays, but we make the best of it because he left 3 kids and a wife behind. We don't dwell on it; we appreciate each other.

Hugs and blessings to all GCers during the holidays.

((((((HUGS JAMES))))))):)

I hope you are having a great day!!!
This is THE BEST THREAD!

Bumping again, as I do every year.

Happy Holidays, GreekChat!

bumping for 2008

lol..we did this at the exact same time

Well whaddya know...it must have happened for a reason! ;)

James...wherever you are, I hope you're having a Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays GC :)

and {{{hugs to James}}}

Happy Holidays to everyone on GreekChat!

I normally anticipate drama, anger, and some sort of family fight breaking out during the holidays. This year, I look forward to spending time with my family and thanking God for my time with them.
Some of you (who read my lj) know that only brother & his girlfriend were in a horrible car accident this past weekend. How they walked away from it with their life is a miracle and I am not taking him or any of my family members for granted. I'm grateful he's alive and here to spend this holiday season with us.


{{hugs}} to James for posting this years ago and thanks to those who faithfully bump it each year. I always look forward to reading it but this year, it has taken on a special meaning for me.

I hope James is happy, wherever he wound up.

Happy Holidays, James. If I knew where you were, I would invite you to future holidays with my family. We have invited many individuals in the past that were unable to be with their families and adopted them as part our own. We are not fancy and it is not about the gifts. In fact, we didn't get to gifts for quite a long time this year because we were so busy visiting with one another.

After reading this, I plan to invite a group students from a nearby college for Easter who are left behind at school.

That is SUCH an awesome thing to do. :):)

(((((James)))))

This is very touching. :(
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and have a very happy new year!

Giving this an early bump. I need a good cry right now.

This is the first time I've seen this, and it brought a tear to my eye.

Much love to all GC friends who's tables aren't as full as they'd like them to be at the holidays. I wish I could invite you all to mine. *hugs*

Thank you for bumping this! It has always been a powerful reminder, but this year, I needed to read it more than ever.

Happy holidays, GCers.

This will be my first year without parents. I don't know how I'm going to do it. Who wants someone who can't quit crying around? The only thing I can think of doing is to volunteer at a nursing home or something. Even the boy can't get here before the Sunday afterwards, so that will be my Christmas, I guess.

Sorry, but I'm just feeling sorry for myself tonight.

Wow. From the title I thought this was a forward. Very Christmas-like indeed.

I just moved back home and am enjoying my parents. I love the holidays and finally have family around me. I'm not letting that go anytime soon. Thanks for the reminder. ♥

My first time read this also and just on another note, it reminds me of the family I lost.

Short version, it's one of those situations when an important family member passes and everyone else scatters to the winds.

I haven't seen most of my blood relatives in over 10 years but what i hold most dear to me is people who we call 'family' doesn't always have to be related by blood.

I have close friends who I consider family and that is who I spend my holidays with and also soon to be in laws.

Sometimes we lose great things early only to gain greater things later and for that I am most appreciative.

Oh, honeychile, I wish I could give you a big hug!

Oh sweetie, if you want to come to Texas and be on the farm, you are MORE than welcome!

The boys (Iggy and Buddy) would be more than happy to have another character around (besides myself and my mother) and the rest of the family would welcome you here!

Honey, you can cry all you want to and just know that the Good LORD is hearing your tears and keeping you comfort at this time.

Same here girlfriend. I have an idea - let's go see Sherlock Holmes and take our mind off our plight by watching HOT HOT MEN. Oh and IHOP is open so we can go there and gorge ourselves. (I'm sure it's not the only place, obviously things will be open in Sq Hill.)

Srsly, if you want to get together and do something, let me know.

Bless you both real good. Like I said, I know I'm just feeling sorry for myself, and I'll snap out of it eventually. Last night was a very bad night. But, the more I think about it, I think I'll take the puppy to visit some nursing home clients. He could brighten up some others' days.

OTW, I got the dreaded red x. I can remember a Christmas that was rough for you, but I forget the jpg. Glad to hear that life's going better for you!

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I survived it last year, so I know you can do it too. Oh, and I'll happily take you if you want to travel! :)

It worked! Thanks again! Now, to remember what Linus says, and to take it to heart! "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." :)

bump

Bumping again.

Happy Holidays, James...wherever you are.

Merry Christmas, Greekchat! :D

bump!

Time to bump this again.