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Posted by: Dan @ 12:07 am
It has been four months since she died. Though I struggle to embrace this life without Sandy by my side, I have been trying to embrace this holiday season as she always did. She loved this time of year and, a long time ago, she wore down my cynicism and got me to appreciate and love it also. She always had the Christmas albums playing before Thanksgiving. And though it was a good Thanksgiving with her parents and her brother and family, the past two weeks have been tough for me. I hadn’t even thought much about the holidays coming and all of a sudden they’re here. So I’m doing my best to embrace it… last weekend I put up the Christmas lights outside and started getting the decorations out. And though it’s painful and heartbreaking to do it without Sandy, it’s also somehow good therapy. I know she’s loving the new lights on the 12-foot tall Spruce tree growing in our front yard. There’s about a foot of snow on the ground so it’s looking like the holidays out there.
And tonight I got a big dose of holiday spirit. I went to Sandy’s school for the annual Christmas program - a tradition we always took part in. And though it was bittersweet to walk into the school without her, and get hugs from all of her friends and coworkers on the staff, and hugs from her students… to hear all those children singing was a very special experience, as always. Perhaps even more special. Fighting back the tears, I could feel Sandy by my side, watching those kids with love and pride. There’s nothing like hearing children’s voices singing Christmas songs to make you remember the spirit of the season. So to the Orondo staff and all the students… thank you for that. It was great seeing all of you again and coming back to the school. It will always be a special place to me as well.
Good night,
Dan