I can remember when I was young how our family gathers at our home or our aunt’s. My grandmother, mom and her 2 sisters would gather the family together for Thanks giving, Christmas and Easter. It was always a big production. The women of the family cooked before each holiday. Then they would bring the food and family together. Sometimes it was a lot of fun. We were nine 1st cousins, all boys. We were about the same age. We were within 5 years altogether. We live near each other. We played on the same football, baseball and basketball teams in elementary school. But in high school, we were on different teams. It was a wonderful time for us. This past year we buried our last aunt. Then we buried my younger brother. We always talked about the older generation. Now we are the older generation. We all gather together at my youngest brother’s house this year for Christmas. My older brother lives in another state. We called him to wish him a Merry Christmas. We all talked to him. But it is not the same. Most of our family was missing. Either they are dead and no longer here or they live elsewhere. I know I can’t go back to that time again. But I miss my parents and my younger brother. Sometimes it is very hard to go on when so much is missing in my life. My family was sometimes the most irritating people on earth. But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. What I wouldn’t do to have them back again. That is why this is a lonely season for me. Cherish your family because God has given you so little time with them. Don’t waste it on nonsense. Let you family know that you care about them. God gave us a family to make us whole. Then it won’t be a lonely season.
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