Twenty years ago....can you believe that number?.....I last saw one of my brothers alive on Thanksgiving. On Dec. 1st, shortly before midnight he was dead. I was called at between 4:00 and 4:30 in the morning on Dec. 2. His birthday would have been on Dec. 9. He was already buying XMAS presents for family, as it was his favorite time of the year. One tries to move forward. Bad things happen to good people. December just has not been much of a lucky time for me ever since. Hubby and I decided, eventually, to spend XMAS, and then later moved it to Thanksgiving into early December in the Caribbean. We tried some different places. Our first time in the Dominican Republic, my grandmother died. Her memorial service had to be postponed so that all could get together, but the first available date was the day my brother had died. My Mom did not want to go to her own Moms service on the anniversary of her sons death. It had to be postponed. Time moved on and hubby and I continued our trips to DR in Nov/Dec, altering dates so that I was not flying home on the anniversary of my brothers death. We pushed the return date later into December. Two years ago we returned home, had a wedding to go to immediately as our first night out after being home, got home from the wedding to receive a call in the middle of the night that hubbys father had died. The date? My brothers birthday Dec. 9th. We were immediately making arrangements to get back on a plane. Good news this year......no major traumas. I do not mean for this post to sound morose. Rather, December has taken a new meaning for me. I cherish the family I have that I can spend time with. I miss those that are not nearby, but thank the internet for keeping us connected. I remember all the good times I had with those that are no longer with us. These holidays are not about tangible presents. As hubby said long ago, We should live every day as if it were Christmas. We try to live by that motto. Its a thing of the heart, not of the pocketbook.....unless of course you have a bunch of little kids.....they just love presents. December 9th brought a new change this year. My nephew went off to Texas for training in the Air Force National Guard. After that hell go to Mississippi. Then hell be working at a base in NJ. During quite a long time, he will not be allowed communications with anyone. We will miss him this Christmas. It will be the first time in 18 years that he has not been around us for the holidays. Our thoughts are with him! Next year I hope he will be able to be with family.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:17:30 +0000
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