I haven’t made a post in 11 days and I’m laying in bed watching a classic Christmas tale, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Perhaps you prefer It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, or one of the many variations of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Whatever your holiday movie is, everyone has their favorite and families have their holiday traditions.
Around the holiday season, my father usually whips up a big batch of his amazing potato latkes for Hanukkah. Outside of lighting a menorah and my mother hanging decorations, this is the basic holiday festivities in my parents’ house.
My Christmas Eves for the better part of the last dozen years has been spent in the company of my best friends from high school. I’ve enjoyed Christmas morning breakfast at my father-in-law’s house and Christmas dinner at my mother-in-law’s house. I was unable to attend any of those events last year due to diagnosis and recovery from cancer. This year, I will not be in attendance either due to an impending divorce and lack of invitations.
However, not everything is doom and gloom. I was fortunate to spend the first 3 days of Hanukkah with Gabe this year. He helped light the electric menorah (safe for the young ones) and learned how to spin a dreidel. He came with me to the Masonic Holiday party my lodge held and even met Santa Claus. He asks to the use the potty on a consistent basis, gives me hugs, kisses, and tells me, he loves me. Not too bad.
So, here are my Christmas gifts to you. A positive attitude can help in the healing process. Only you can make yourself happy. Listen to others but remain true to yourself. Best wishes and good health to all.
Happy Holidays!
~Cheers
Side note:
I have received lots of feedback since starting this blog months ago. The majority have been positive and recently some negative. Most feel I am a fairly talented writer. Some people were surprised with the information concerning my disease and fight and happy it was shared. Some people think I am looking for pity and one even wants me to stop posting.
I learned a very important lesson in the hospital from a nurse who was in his second relapse with cancer. When you go through something this tough and trying, you earn the right to live for yourself first and tell everyone else to screw. There is nothing positive about cancer. I will not sugar-coat my experiences and feelings.
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Adam, this blog is great, no matter how often you choose to post. I'm thankful to be part of your journey even in this small way - and I really mean that. Maybe it makes up for having lost touch for all those years? But, seriously, if I ever deserve it, feel free to tell me to screw, no coating of sugar required.
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't have to sugar coat anything. Life is hard and sometimes things happen and the great part of sharing some of the tough times is that other people can relate in some degree to what you're experiencing.
ReplyDeletePlus life, not just cancer has it's ups and downs like a rollercoaster. Those who really care, will be there to try and cheer you up, but also will give you time to deal with it on your own because when you're down, you don't want to hear why you should cheer up or have so much to live for etc.
You know that already. I'm not here to remind you of how special being a dad is etc. I'm here to show support and add a distraction or two.
By the way...A woman goes to the dentist and he tells her that she needs a tooth pulled out. She says that she'd rather deal with the pain of childbirth. So he says, "Well make up your mind because I can adjust the chair"
be well my friend :)