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This is obviously an old thread but one well worth resurfacing!
My mom died when I was 12 and so the holidays have always been rather bittersweet for me and my brother. As a child we had the kind of family that was only seen in movies...mother was a true angel, dad was well respected in the community, parents loved to entertain, they never argued, cursed, drank, etc...in other words a picture perfect family. We had so many holiday traditions and then that all ended when my mom died.
My dad remarried and from that point on nothing was the same. I think that the remarriage was almost harder than losing my mom or at least it felt like losing her all over again. Things were really rocky with the "new family".
As a child the holidays were my favorite time of the year but after my mom died it was never the same. What really sucks is that the last Christmas that she was with us she spent in the hospital and then died right after Christmas on Jan. 11.
Now that I am an adult things are better. I have children of my own and try to relive those childhood holiday traditions with them. I love the holidays but there is always a certain sadness about them at the same time. I worry about my brother a lot during the holidays because he does not yet have any children of his own and his relationship with my stepmother is not good at all. He gets really depressed during the holidays and it just breaks my heart.
So my point is that James is so right. Cherish your family (both good and bad). Time does not have a rewind button.
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