Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Tis' the Season!!!



MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!

I hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday season!!! For some, like myself, it hasn't even begun. And for others, it is in full swing. Mine sort of began this evening when I finally decided to start my Christmas shopping after a stressful day filled with two finals and work in between. As I headed to the mall, not evening listening to Christmas Carols because I could not listen to Christmas Carols with it being such nice weather outside! Is it just me, or do you find it hard to be in the Christmas Spirit this year?!

Well, with that, I go to my personal story and the explanation of the picture of the very happy man with the goofy elf hat on in the above picture. That my friends is one of the most Christmas Spirit filled men I have ever met, even person at that. I feel that for some in my family, I know for a fact myself, that it is hard to be in the Christmas Spirit without him here. For those who do no know, he passed away this summer. "Pap" as most people knew him as, was like a very big kid on Christmas Day. He could never wait for his children and grandchildren to arrive at his house for dinner. More importantly, he could not wait for what was to come after dinner! PRESENTS!!!! I am almost positive that I have never met a child who was more impatient to open their gifts. He would shake, tap, and even begin to unwrap before it even got to his turn to open a gift. (In my family we all take turns opening one at a time.) Not only was he excited to receive his gifts, he was more excited to GIVE his gifts. He was always so proud of how much he paid for things that were on sale, or made sure to let us know if our gift was a little pricey. I loved having Pap with us on Christmas. Like I mentioned earlier, it is hard to have Christmas Spirit without Pap here with us. This really hit me this evening, when I came home from shopping. I found myself coming up with so many ideas of what to get for loved ones. I wish I had the money to give them everything they wanted or all the ideas that I had. I began to think about my Pap in this moment. It finally hit me, that Pap will sadly not be there with us on that Christmas morning to show him all my gifts, or at dinner for good conversation mediating, and for good laughs. And yes, Pap would not be there sitting in his LA-Z-Boy Recliner, opening his gifts before it is his turn.

I know I am not the only one going through this, and I know this will be hard for those in my family to read. I debated on whether or not to post this, and I am not sure if it will even be read, but I feel their is a reason this needed to be said.

We can all learn something differently from our Christmas experiences, and we all have different traditions. But this year, I feel we should celebrate those we have lost, like Pap, in a different way this year. We should all learn three different things from Pap or a loved one we have lost. 1.) We should remember their legacies and allow them to live on. Save that empty space for that lost one in your room on Christmas Day. Talk about memories you have of that person. Not talking about it is not going to help you move on. 2.) Carry on their traditions. Be excited to GIVE gifts this year instead of receiving them. Buy something special for someone you have never thought to buy for before. 3.) Cherish each day you have with your family, and make this holiday season, this Christmas, and this New Year SPECIAL! Start a new tradition or share a funny memory. Spend as much time with your family as possible, and maintain a good, whole-hearted, and loving attitude to your family in respect to those you have lost.

Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, and I hope these words bless everyone who reads them!!!!


With Love,

Katy