Grief bites. Seriously bites.
I’m thinking right now about the year when Christmas was just not right. Something was missing. Actually someone was missing. Nobody saw it coming. It was the year my mom
(aka Beazy)
had died, just weeks before Christmas.
As my brothers, sisters and I scrambled to figure how/ or if we would navigate the holidays, there’s one thing I remember making the situation a little less terrible. It was telling Beazy stories, and realizing that even though our hearts were pretty well shattered, it was still OK to laugh.
Beazy was surely on Santa’s payroll. She had a way of creating holiday goodness- aromas, Christmas stockings and gingerbread people- like nobody’s business.
This year I decided to write her a letter.
Dear Mom, it’s Christmas week and there are a few things I hope I’ll never forget:
– your navy blue Honda screeching into the driveway with loud Christmas carols blaring and a wreath on the front. It was always filled with pecan tarts, gingerbread cookie dough, and naturally diet coke.
-the smocked Christmas dresses, and smocked jumpsuits superhero outfits you made for the little boys;
– the monogrammed LLBean shirts you gave your sons and inlaw sons every year. Paul still wears his, hoping to be on the leading edge when monograms make a fashion comeback.
– when the Olympics were in Atlanta, and you gave all five kids and eleven grand kids official Olympic outfits for Christmas. Your Olympic volunteer uniform “skort” was the coolest.
– the year Amy “set up” her bedroom with 100% red lights; and you were so kind not to mention it looked like a brothel.
Mom, thanks for making Christmases crazy fun, and for loving all five kids the most.
Love, one of your favorites, Beth
If you’re missing someone you love this Christmas, you are not alone. Besides remembering to laugh, there’s one more thing that made a giant difference for me. It was the day some dear friends prayed for me. They prayed that God would take some of the pain out of my heart. And He did. I pray that He will do the same for you, too.
God’s peace, my friends.
How can we pray for you this Christmas season?