Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your holidays have been full of family, friends, love, and grace of Jesus Christ. This month I have much to be thankful for, but that will be another post in a couple weeks. 🙂
I have to be honest with you, this holiday has been extremely hard for me. I’ve been trying really hard to have some Christmas spirit and for the most part it’s been a happy holiday season. Like I said, I’ve made many memorable memories this Christmas so I’m extremely thankful. But truth be told it’s been hard. This time last year was a whirlwind of emotions. This time last year was the last opportunity I really got to spend time with my mom and dad, in my childhood home, and us together. Just us, no one else. Even then, I tried to be happy but it was hard. For me, this was the beginning of the end.
This is my first holiday without my mom and my dad is now living in the Philippines. The words that probably sum up this year has had to be “change” or “adapt” for me. I miss my mom dearly. I think back on these days last year constantly. A time when I could hold my mom’s hand, give her a hug, and buy her a candle for Christmas like I always do. After this photo my mom’s health took a turn for the worse, I had to speak at my mom’s funeral, we sold my childhood home, and my dad moved to the Philippines.
But it’s ok, because life moves on. God got me. And regardless of whether she’s here or not she has shaped me into the woman I am today. Since I started working at her real estate office a lot of her old colleagues keep telling me I look like her, especially when I smile. It warms my heart every time. And this season I am making a commitment to myself to never forget but to move forward. More on that later 😉
Like I said, Merry Christmas everyone! If there is anything I’ve learned from these past 3 years it’s hold your loved ones close, make an effort to show them how much you mean to them, tell them you love them often, never take them for granted, make memories, and always smile no matter how down you are. Trust me, you’ll thank me later. I’ll be doing that this weekend and in the weeks to come.
Xoxo,
