Reply #28: Hi.

[RevCheesehead]

I just got back from our post-Christmas celebration at Dad's. My brother & family came out from PA, and we spent the weekend together.

It was good to be together, but it sure was hard, too. I was fine through most of it, until Dad and I went to Vespers (at his retirement home). The pastor said something about recognizing that not all of us will be here next year, and I had to get up and leave. I hate that, but the tears just wouldn't stop.

I guess the thing that bugged me the most was that the rest of the family wouldn't talk about Mom. Whenever I'd bring up something she did, or a funny story, they all got sort of quiet, and let it drop. I needed to talk about Mom.

So on my way home, I went to see one of Mom's friends, and gave her a Christmas gift. We talked a long time, and she willingly shared more stories about Mom. She gets it, because her husband died a few years ago. As she said, "you have to talk about them. You just can't keep that much love bottled up inside you."

A blessed new year to all of you, my friends, and thanks so much for being here.