Holiday thoughts from an old guy

[Da Klugs]

Family, you only have one. If you have grandparents you are lucky. Mine are gone. I think back on them fondly for all the wisdom and unadulterated love that I may not have appreciated or understood at the time. My only regret is not making enough effort to spend more time with them as my life got busier. My parents and Jane’s are still with us. We are blessed with proximity to both. It should be a natural thing but we do not see them enough. Holidays are the time to catch up. Taking my Dad to lunch this week and going shopping with my mom. Jane’s mom’s birthday was last night and we took the clan out for dinner. Realized that I am not the only man in my oldest daughter Kaits life when we once again forgot to include her boyfriend in the dinner plans. I’m going to be more attuned to that moving forward. It’s ironic that the sometimes painful and arduous family events become the lasting fond memories as time goes on.

When it comes to friendship nothing can be more poignant than celebrating those of a lifetime. Make the effort. Spending the holidays with family and friends always causes me to reflect on old friendships. We lose touch with many that have had huge impacts on us. Some of my oldest and closest friends live far away. We speak occasionally and get together even less frequently. Taking time to remember those that have positively impacted my life and reaching out to them is a holiday ritual. It should be more than that, but they understand.

They are my friends. And so are many of you.

Happy Holidays to all

[joed]

Those are some really nice thoughts and made me think about a few things.

Thank you for that. I wish you and your family a happy holiday season.

joe d

[dadof3illinois]

Originally Posted by Da Klugs

Family, you only have one. If you have grandparents you are lucky. Mine are gone. I think back on them fondly for all the wisdom and unadulterated love that I may not have appreciated or understood at the time. My only regret is not making enough effort to spend more time with them as my life got busier. My parents and Jane’s are still with us. We are blessed with proximity to both. It should be a natural thing but we do not see them enough. Holidays are the time to catch up. Taking my Dad to lunch this week and going shopping with my mom. Jane’s mom’s birthday was last night and we took the clan out for dinner. Realized that I am not the only man in my oldest daughter Kaits life when we once again forgot to include her boyfriend in the dinner plans. I’m going to be more attuned to that moving forward. It’s ironic that the sometimes painful and arduous family events become the lasting fond memories as time goes on.

When it comes to friendship nothing can be more poignant than celebrating those of a lifetime. Make the effort. Spending the holidays with family and friends always causes me to reflect on old friendships. We lose touch with many that have had huge impacts on us. Some of my oldest and closest friends live far away. We speak occasionally and get together even less frequently. Taking time to remember those that have positively impacted my life and reaching out to them is a holiday ritual. It should be more than that, but they understand.

They are my friends. And so are many of you.

Happy Holidays to all

Happy Holidays to you and your family too Dave.

Also everyone should remember to take time out of the busy holiday to remember lost loved ones and how they impacted your life, and give plenty of hugs and love to the ones close to you now.

[opus]

The serious side of DaKlugs. Well said Dave. Merry Christmas

[ky toker]

Never known a grandfather, so I happily accepted my wifes as my own. He has passed as well as my last grandmother. What I remember most about my great grandmother are here stories she told my sister and myself while visiting her in the hospital. It was a two week leave from the Army. She'd remember back to around 1904 when Louisville was flat farm land. And taking a horse 10 miles away was the vacation spot. Pleasure Ridge Park is merely a district now, but it was the place to travel to back then. I could only picture an old west type of town from those stories.

Luckily we live close to our families and with the baby it is great for a number of reasons.

Nice post. I can follow what you mean.

[Jeff]

Great thoughts and reflections Dave.

My wife and I plan to move to the West Coast after I graduate. Nearly all of my family is in Pennsylvania. The holidays will be a difficult time of year if we can't make it back to spend it with them. As it is, we are alternating every year with her family in England. This year its Christmas dinner with the in-laws. They are actually a great gang and fun to spend time with.

I hope I can always balance living my own life and keeping in touch with my family. I'd give almost anything to have some time back with my mother's parents. My Grandmother was absolutely fantastic. One of those people who loved unconditionally

[Spagg]

Very well said. I still have the grandparents on my mother's side of the family in my life, though I know I don't see them as much. I have actually been thinking about that lately.

My fiance's grandmother is still with us, but she is very weak and in the hospital right now. Her vitals are great, but she has a Parkinson like disease which causes her to experience times of severe weakness. We are hoping she will be out of the hospital for Christmas.

I know I take a lot of things for granted. Life should never be one of these. We need to spend our time with family and friends before that time passes. A lot of the other things in our lives that take up our time really don't matter all that much when compared to our family and friends.

[colgate]

Well stated. Many happy returns for you and yours this Christmas. I'm just waiting for dad to get here on Thursday so we can try out his new golf gadget. He's turning 80 next month.

[RPB67]

Well said.

Without family what do you actual have....Nothing.

Family is everything cherish them. Give your kids an extra hug.

Happy Holidays to all and your families.

[DonWeb]

Originally Posted by Da Klugs

They are my friends.

i'll be spending christmas in san diego with my wife's family... gift exchange tradition et.al.

each year for the last 25 there have been new family additions (there was a time when i was). this year my son's g/f will be making an appearance on the day after...life goes on

... the love is always there... sometimes we slow down and see it

thanks for the reminder, dave.

[Txdawg]

Like the other Dave, I'm an old guy too....no grandparents left on either side. My father passed in 2002 and my wife's mother has been gone for years. I have two children, one in college and the other a senior in HS. The holiday season is not the same as when I was a kid nor is it the same as when my children were small but it should still be a special time. It's not always easy to do the "family" things and it is so easy to take for granted what you have.

Use the holidays to rekindle relationships with friends and family. Be the one to pick up the phone and make plans with someone you haven't seen in awhile. Life is short and everyday is special, my wife always says that life is not a dress rehersal so break out the "good" cigars and share with someone close.

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Dave

[galaga]

Originally Posted by dumonweb

i'll be spending christmas in san diego with my wife's family... gift exchange tradition et.al.

each year for the last 25 there have been new family additions (there was a time when i was). this year my son's g/f will be making an appearance on the day after...life goes on

... the love is always there... sometimes we slow down and see it

thanks for the reminder, dave.

Ya have our PM so get in touch -- Foz is here too. Merry Christmas to all.

[Satan Claus]

You made me all misty-eyed, Dave

edit: and damnit, I'm logged in as Satan Claus again!!

[Roger Miller"]

Don't know why, but reading that, Dave, reminded me of this little clip below. Probably because they both make me smile and generally feel good.

_____
rm

[steve12553]

Almost too much thinking for this time of year. Two years ago November I got an email from a friend telling me of the passing of my closest friend from high school. We had kept in touch over the years but hadn't seen each other near enough. The irony was that he was the one person who I would have really wanted to sit down and talk to about the loss of an old friend with. Definitely cherish friends and family.