Holiday Blues (A Poem of Loss)

The magic of Christmas is alive and well,
But my loss forms a storm cloud over me.
I feel sadness in my heart instead of joy.
Someone I once had and cherished is gone.

At a time when I should feel happy and free,
I am painting a smile on my face with lipstick.
I adorn my body with festive, bright clothes,
All while I mourn inside for what I loved.

I watch others with loved ones and envy them,
I miss her and wish I had her around longer.
She was taken away from me before her time,
Her life was cut shorter than any life should be.

I wish I could see them and get another chance,
See what kind of person she would grow into.
If I could change one thing this would be it,
For a life should never be taken away so soon.

My Blessings This Holiday Season

Here are some things I am thankful for and am glad to have this holiday season:

* That even after everything that has happened in my life up to this point, I still have my faith in God. While I am not that religious and am a very liberal Christian, I still believe in God and I go to church regularly.
* A warm house to go home to at night.
* Plenty of food and drink to sustain me, the cats, and my husband.
* A full time job with benefits (so many are unemployed these days)
* A second chance to earn my college degree.
* A high GPA in school this time around (I earned a 4.0 this past term for my courses)
* My husband, I don't know how he puts up with me sometimes. I love him for being able to handle me and love me even at my worst.
* My cats, they are like our children. One of my cats even has his birthday coming up right after Christmas.
* Family, even though they often drive me crazy and often are full of drama.
* Friends, I do have a few true friends that I really care about. They are there for me as much as if not more than some of my family.
* Car to get groceries and go places. For a few years I did not have a car and used public transportation or rides to get everywhere. So glad those days are over and now my husband drives him and myself where we need to go. Still use public transportation around the city for work commuting and such, but I am good with that. So grateful to not have to buy groceries and lug them on the bus anymore or on foot. That was such a pain.

I think that about sums up the truly important things in my life. They do not rank in any particular order, but they remind me that my life is good. Often I get too wrapped up in what is wrong with my life and forget about what is good in my life. This is what matters to me this holiday season. For me the Christmas season is about more than presents.Christmas is about remembering those in need, about spending time with loved ones, and showing them that we care about them and love them. I also remember Jesus's birth and remember things from a religious standpoint. While I know many don't celebrate that way, for me as a Christian this is important to me.

Now I am wondering what is important to all of you this holiday season? Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or Yule, I want my readers to comment and tell me what matters to them this holiday season. Happy Holiday's, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and Merry Yule to you all, whichever of these you may celebrate.