Joy then Grief
Excitement then Dread
Laughter then Tears
Celebration then Mourning
Lights then Candles
Feast then Fast
Forced forgetfulness then Flood of memories
Laughter then Tears
Elation then Depression
Embracing Christmas spirit then Remembering spirit passed
Focused on a birth then Focused on a death
Context: “…Christmas time is already bittersweet. Daddy died at 4 am on December 26, 2010. With each passing year, I’ve worked very hard to separate, in my mind, Christmas from the day after Christmas. Christmas is a time to celebrate, to recognize God’s greatest gift to us. I pour everything I have into making it spectacular for my children. Seeing them excited and happy fills me with so much joy. The day after Christmas is a time of mourning. I spend time with my family, listening to daddy’s songs and reading his comics. I laugh and cry. I remember. I love. I grieve what was lost. I try not to think of what might have been.” – Written 12/2015
SuperMom Mentality 
Comments on: "Dichotomy of Days" (8)
It’s even more weird for me. Back in ’78, ’79, ’80, December 26 was probably the best day of the year for me. Brooks and I had our separate family gatherings on Christmas, doin’ the family thing with parents, siblings, etc. But the day AFTER Christmas, that was our time. We’d drive around looking at Christmas lights, go to a movie, spend time together. Those are the memories I hold dearest to my heart with him. And I remember one “day after Christmas” when we were married and living in the doublewide, he told me how he always liked to save one present for the day after Christmas, so that day would not be a let-down. I’ll bet he thinks that Dec 26, 2010 was the most fabulous day after Christmas he ever experienced, although it took him away from us. He left a hole that is too big to fill. Sometimes I think I can move on in life, and then other times, I just want to be where he is, especially how the world we once knew is changing so quickly, and losses just pile up. But I have to have faith in God, and know that he put me here for a reason. I’d go see Aunt Millie, and she was so vital in her 90’s – I would think, “that woman has so much better an attitude about life than I do – and she’s in her 90’s and I’m only in my 50’s.” So cling to the Lord, and let him show you (me) what He wants for our lives, even when they seem to have little meaning at the time.
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Oh – and here is your song for this post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSZ5L5FUPWg
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So powerful, thanks for sharing this!
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Thanks for reading!
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[…] last, the low was 1 degree. Tomorrow’s high is predicted to be 65 degrees! Talk about a dichotomy of days! […]
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You are a blessing and a marvel….and, I am so sorry for the loss of your father….
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Thank you
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You’re welcome 🙂
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