over the years the holidays have become so much more to my family and i than just a regular holiday. for us christmas or thanksgiving depending on the year, is the one time a year we are all together as a family. you see my parents moved to alabama my senior year of college, my brother and sister in-law lived a few hours from my parents house in connecticut, my sister had already moved to the west coast, and i was preparing to move to virginia after college. we were at the time and are still completely spread across the country, so the holidays are an extra special time to see each other and catch up.
this christmas will be bittersweet to say the least. my brother will be deploying a few short months after christmas for about a year. not only will he not be here to celebrate next thanksgiving or christmas with us, but unless some miracle happens, we have come to accept he will not be at our wedding in june.
so instead of wallowing in sadness (because i have already done that) i am focusing on looking at this christmas as an opportunity to enjoy my family for the amazing individuals they all are. we are even more lucky to have had my sister in-law and matt join our family over the years.
like most families, we are a very diverse crowd, have drastically different opinions, beliefs and convictions which always keeps things exciting. but now matter how different of people we have all grown up to become, and no matter where we all call home now, there is great comfort in coming together at the holidays.
this christmas puts life into perspective. it makes you stop and realize that presents aren't important, and that the gifts that truly will last a lifetime are the the memories we have surrounded by our family and friends.
so this holiday season, i wish everyone a very merry christmas and new years surrounded my friends, family and for those unable to be with their family take the time to reach out to those loved ones and remind them how much they mean to you this special time of year.
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