How many of you remember cassette tapes where you could fast-forward
through a song that you didn’t like and find the one you preferred to listen to over
and over again? It was never easy to guess when to stop the fast-forward button,
and so you would have to stop and start a few times. Sometimes you would fast-
forward for too long and miss the song that you really wanted to hear.
For many people, Christmas grief is much like that. They want to fast-forward to
the other side of Christmas to a place where they don’t have to experience the
season and the ‘song’ that goes with it.
Does that sound familiar?
Are you missing someone very special this Christmas? Is the thought of them not
being there too difficult to imagine? You don’t want the strong emotions that
come from their absence to overtake you. You would like to put your life and
Christmas on fast-forward.
Let’s go back to the cassette tape for a moment. While I did prefer certain songs
in the long playlist, I did take time to listen to a few others and began to enjoy
different songs as well. Sometimes I’d land on one of the less familiar songs by
accident, but decided to listen anyway. Soon, I began to appreciate those ones
on the playlist as well.
Your Christmas will never be the same without that special person who is no
longer present for your festivities. But do you really want to fast-forward through
this Christmas?
Even in the midst of your missing, you must open up your heart to the new songs
being played around you. You are not disallowing the old song to play in your
heart, you are just opening yourself up to a world, to a life, to people that love
you. Why not play a few notes for your hurting heart?
Written by: Rick Bergh
Rick is a new Member at Large on the AHPCA Board of Directors.
Copyright 2014: Rick Bergh
Used by Permission
