We used to have 120+ people over to our house or my aunts house every Christmas Eve. My mom had 9 brothers and sisters and my dad had 7 so with all us children, we had huge get togethers. Participants came from as far away as Canada. My brothers and I would get out our instruments and lead Christmas Carols and my dad would play his harmonica. We had about 50 Atlantic Richfield carol books. Everyone brought a dish to share, savory or sweet. We had a white elephant gift exchange. It was a wonderful family sharing time and everyone looked forward to it.
Well, my mom and most of my aunts and uncles are now gone. Their kids have kids. My dad and his wife are just too tired to host as is my aunt so I don't know if we will have much of a get together this year. My twin has 6 grandchildren so his core family alone is 12 people.
My daughter Jessie got to experience these wonderful get togethers but moved to Seattle a year ago Thanksgiving but, stays close with my cousin who is 10 years older. Eventually, I believe they will start the tradition up again. It will probably be when I'm dead and gone. Those 6 grandchildren of my twin will surely participate. Life goes on.
I accept there is no way to stop it. Change will happen.
Accept that you cannot help but change when you quit smoking.
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN For The following-References to nicotine added by myself)
That Empty Feeling
At the very core of life, emptiness is what IS.
Emptiness is at the center of all human experience.
We smoke and drink and spend money we don't have and pine for things and people and days gone by and worship our idols to escape from it, but it's always there.
Emptiness.
Nothing left to do or say. "What now?" we ask. "How do I replace what's lost?" we wonder.
We quit smoking because it was killing us but we hate the empty feeling we have without it.
We leave abusive people and return to them, or someone just like them, for the same reason.
We don't like prisons such as depression, guilt, our addiction to nicotine, alcohol, sex or our low self esteem but it's the only reality we know.
To deal with emptiness is to confront our demons and see them for what they really are. Nothing at all!
Emptiness is just the flow of life and reality as it really is.
Times change. Relationships end. Jobs are lost. Loved ones die. Old lifestyles change. Our children grow up. Addictions are broken.
We move on. We have to.
To not accept the emptiness is to stagnate. To look back is to turn to salt like Lot's wife.
We cry for awhile and time passes and things improve. We look back after a few years at what's lost, and though we still feel a pang of grief, we see that we did manage to move on despite ourselves.
Life is dynamic! Like a river it constantly moves on. We can sit at the river's edge and watch it flow while we cry, or get a canoe and jump in it for the ride.
Imagine what all you'll see on the journey! "What's next?" we ask now with eager anticipation...
