Seasons Greetings

Merry Christmas loyal readers.
It's the season of light and laughter down here in the south.  It's a season of parties and weddings and shopping.  It's the season for giving, for togetherness, and love.

But around here, it's a season of sadness, and loneliness too.

Its the time of year where mourning and grief show up at the train station with bags full of memories. They unload and take their coats off to stay a while.  And even when you beg them not to, they drag out the photo album and show you everything you've lost.

Some of the pictures make you laugh until you cry.  And some make you cry until you laugh.  And some just prick holes in your lungs with pins of anguish and suck the air from your chest.

There's so much to be grateful for, and you look around at everything you have and you realize just how lucky you are to be living your life.  But the empty chairs where loved ones used to sit, and the empty inbox waiting for Christmas wishes from friends remind us with a bitter sting that nothing will ever be how it was again.  And all that reminder does is hurt.

You never know who's losing their mind in your life.  Most of us are good at keeping it quiet.  So in the spirit of giving, I'll give you some advice. Weather your living it up or trying not to give up, take a moment to remember those that you've lost and those who have lost, and send up prayers of mercy for their pain.