I just wanted to take a minute and wish you all a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. I truly thank you for taking the time to read these blogs, or columns, or “my ramblings” as I often refer to them.
This year I have noticed that a number of people I know have been posting about how this Christmas is different for them. Some people are struggling either physically or emotionally due to changes in their life. What’s that old saying? “The only constant in life is change.” The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with that gem. And thus ends our history lesson for the day.
If this is your first holiday without a loved one I feel for you. I remember my first Christmas without my mom and the year that my brother died. There was an emptiness and it certainly felt like something was missing. Still does.
I remember my first Christmas after my stroke. It certainly was different as I wasn’t able to do everything I used to. I was angry. I did not want to admit to myself that I couldn’t do something. In fact, I still don’t like it but I think I’ve come to accept it a little better. Of course, my family might disagree.
This year I have been personally touched by how military service can bring change to the holidays. If you don’t know, my son Doug and son-in-law Steven are somewhere out to sea on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. I think of my daughter-in-law Marla who will spend this Christmas away from her husband (Doug.) I know that her family and the wonderful support group of friends the Navy has will make sure she’s taken care of but I know there will be plenty of times where she misses him,
My daughter Sarah and grandson Liam are here with us this Christmas and while there have been wonderful times making cookies and shopping for presents (and watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” every night) there have also been times when he misses daddy. The other night Sarah told me he was upset because he worried that Santa wouldn’t be able to find daddy out on the big boat! It’s amazing where his little mind goes. Sarah assured him that Santa would find him. She also told me that sometimes the carrier will make a post that Santa caught the tail hook and brought gifts to all the sailors!
(For those that don’t know, catching the tail hook is how the jets land on the carrier.)
I also see how Sarah struggles. Don’t get me wrong, she does an AMAZING job and tries to keep busy but I see how hard it is. The rest of the Braley Bunch tries to help her and take Liam off her hands so she can rest but she is definitely counting the days until her husband comes home. (47 days by the way. Longer for Doug though.)
It can be a sad time for some. I don’t have all the answers, never claimed to, but I will leave you with one thought that I hope helps a little. I know things can never be the same and I don’t mean to claim I know what you’re going through but I did think of this quote today. Dr. Seuss, Theodore Geisel, once wrote:
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
Look back on your memories and how wonderful those times might have been. Now it’s time to turn the page and start a new chapter in your book of YOU!
Merry Christmas my friend!
Catch up on other Sunday Columns by clicking here.
Christmas columns from the past:
Jesus Is The Reason For The Season
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