Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Sunday, December 27, 2015

The First Christmas Without...

For some strange reason, Christmas wasn’t a problem for me. I got up like it was any other Christmas morning, gave the family their gifts from me, and relaxed until it was time to go to my cousin’s house for her annual Christmas party.

Strangely, my sister decided to add my mother’s name to the gift that I gave her. Even though I thought it was totally weird for her to place Mama’s name on the gift that I purchased for her after Mama was dead, I didn’t trip too hard. The truth is that I bought the gift with the money that Mama left me. So, I guess that in a way, the gift was also from Mama. My heart went out to my sister, who wanted to do anything she could to keep Mama a part of our Christmas. God bless my sis.

I did wish that Mama was there to watch my six-year-old niece, Elyssa, open all her gifts. But that desire wasn’t coupled with pain. It was just a simple wish that couldn’t be achieved. I dealt with it and kept it moving.

Later that night, we headed to my cousin’s house and had a good time with family. I was glad to hug and kiss everyone. I chose to focus on the family I did have left. I perhaps gave more gift than I usually do. I guess that was another way I coped with the loss. I gave from my heart to the people that were still left with me.

I’m quite thankful that Christmas 2016 was tolerable. I’m glad that I was with my family. I’m just glad that I wasn’t in the bed, crying all day because of Mama being gone.

Happy Holidays!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Turkey, Dressing, and No Mama

Thanksgiving was good for me. I didn’t think too much about how terrible it was that Mama is gone. I focused on providing a good meal for the family despite our recent loss. I wanted to make sure that the holiday season didn’t miss a beat, even though we missed Mama.

We had a pretty good meal. After we ate, I hooked up with my daddy and headed to my aunt’s house to round up my effort to keep Thanksgiving as festive as it would be as any other year.

In a way, I felt a little guilty for having a good time for Thanksgiving. People were calling me and asking me how I was doing. They made me feel like I should have somehow told them I was doing terrible this Thanksgiving. What was wrong with me that I didn’t feel so bad this first Thanksgiving without her?

I guess it’s because Thanksgiving is about “family” in general. Yes, my mother is a part of my family. But there are so many others in my family that I was given the opportunity to focus on and create a good experience for during the Thanksgiving weekend. So, that’s what I did.

At this point, I’m thanking God for the few moments that I have that I don’t feel like crying. So, in honor of Thanksgiving 2015… God, thank you for a fairly peaceful, no tears Thanksgiving.
AB