Six years ago I lost my younger brother. I thought I was doing good until I started hearing Christmas music. I began to cry when I heard specific songs. Usually they were the ones that mom and dad played during the Christmas season. We always had a wonderful Christmas. Our family would gather and share a meal, then open presents. As we grew up, we started bringing our girlfriends to get together. Then it was wives and children. Dad’s first grandchild was a little girl named Christy. Dad lived long enough to see my firstborn. Mom lived another 20 years.

This year has been difficult. My younger brother Bill’s wife died. Then my older brother Carson died. I thought I was handling the grief well enough to carry on. Then I began to hear Christmas music and cry. They were the songs I listen to when I was young. Christmas has always been a special time of year. I still remember the little 2 bedroom house we lived in. My 3 brother and I shared one bedroom. My younger brother Bill would sing songs and that would put us to sleep. I was 12 years old when we moved into a 4 bedroom house. And Christmas got bigger.

Christmas is about making memories with your family. It’s about doing things together, sharing a meal, going to a play or musical. You make memories so that when you are older, you remember the wonderful times with you family. Even though they are not there anymore. And no one can take them away from you.

The Christmas song that triggered my grief is “I’ll be home for Christmas”. I’ll put a link below for the song. It is an old WWII song that I still love today. It is about a soldier wanting to be home with his family for Christmas. I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com