I don’t know about you, but I find I can often white-knuckle through a holiday itself only to be spent and exhausted on the other side.
Staying busy in the kitchen, trying hard to be present and participate, enjoying extra folks in the house and around the table are great distractions.
I love being with my people!
Of course I’m constantly aware of the quiet tune that plays in the background, “Dom’s not here” but I genuinely appreciate every moment I have with the ones I love.
But…then comes the quiet.
A silent reminder of the hollow carved in my heart.
And I can’t ignore it.
So I have to take a day (or two or three) and rest.
It’s what I call a “holiday hangover” and it has nothing to do with over-indulging in spirits or food.
It’s OK if I don’t rush to tidy the house or start planning for the next get-together. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
I can pause, take a breather, sit and read or do nothing at all.
You can too. ❤
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thelifeididntchoose 
You’re right – it’s so exhausting. I keep busy and have everyone here but afterwards it’s like being hit by a ton of bricks!
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That’s a lovely photograph Melanie. Enjoy your rest xxx
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Thank you Melanie. The last time I saw my son alive was Thanksgiving 2019. We had a wonderful holiday and then he flew back to Cincinnati with plans to return home for Christmas. He died alone in his apartment (the flu, possibly Covid19) on December 20 but wasn’t discovered until December 23, the day he was supposed to be flying home to Florida. My son Ben, Jeff’s oldest brother, took the reigns from me and had the family at his place this year for Thanksgiving. I was relieved and thankful. It is exhausting wrestling with all of this grief and struggling to live a purposeful life at the same time. The punctuations of normalcy are welcome rest stops on this journey. Mother hearts that know the exact words at exactly the right time that provide clarity (what I call “a peak around the corner to see what’s just up ahead”) and life giving salve for this still gaping wound are a godsend. My sincere gratitude, Marci
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I am so very sorry! Praying the Lord will greet you every morning with grace and strength for that day. May you hear Him singing love and comfort over your wounded heart. ❤
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