Christmas Without Them

If you’re missing someone at Christmas, I hear you, I’m with you — and you’re not alone

My dad, who passed away suddenly in 2006, was born on Christmas day. It’s impossible to block that out at Christmastime — nor would I want to. It’s a bittersweet time of memories and nostalgia, but along with it being his birthday, his passing gives the holiday a deeper meaning.

We were once tiny tots with eyes all aglow, and Christmas was about joy and happiness; it felt like it would be that way forever.

As we get older, we lose people we love. It’s a fact of life that we all must go through eventually, but that fact alone doesn’t make it any easier. I’ve found that how I process their loss is what makes all the difference.

I don’t ignore the sorrow and grief that comes with it, but I try to focus on my gratitude for them being a part of my life — for however long it was.

I am fortunate to have known and remember all of my grandparents — and even my great-grandparents on my mother’s side.