I thought I was being SO clever to say "Holidaze" but apparently it is a THING. A TV movie! A book! A blog! A band!
But what the heck. I decided it perfectly describes the end of 2013. Sometimes, looking back it is a daze, a blur, a whirlwind of activity like the eddy in the pond when you toss a big fat rock in the middle.
April 2013 marked the one year "anniversary" of DH's stroke. (I put that in quotes, because you always want to think of an anniversary as a happy occasion of celebration and joy. But hey, even though the original stroke was not a celebratory event, rethinking it though, an anniversary of survival IS an event of joy...)
I digress. The one year (and now almost 18 months) since the awful event has seen lots of changes. The best change? We are getting complacent! What I mean by that is that we don't think about it day after day after day. It no longer haunts our waking moments, although truth be told, it sometimes haunts my sleeping moments. I wake up in a panic because DH no longer snores. Yep. Since stroke day, he hasn't snored. He no longer has deep rumbling breathing either. "This is a good thing" you think, right? Wellllll...sort of. Except I constantly place my hand on him gently so as not to disturb him, but just to make sure he is breathing. But, it wakes him and he stirs. I feel sort of badly that I woke him, but happy that I can go back to sleep.
This year has brought us pain in other ways. Our next door neighbor suddenly died. He had health issues, true, but...still unexpected. DH and he were pretty close.
Another friend took a belated honeymoon and her husband of a few months had a massive heart attack and died on the cruise. Both these events were "gulp" moments in our lives. The first, barely over 60, the other was 49. Forty nine! His whole life ahead of him.
How can we honor the dead? By living.
Living every moment with joy.
Getting toxic people that are harmful out of (y)our lives, surrounding (y)ourselves instead with people who love and care back.
Spending more time with children and grandchildren.
Try to bring more joy to others.
Cherish each other.
Hug more.
Kiss more.
Fight less. (or not at all)
Compliment more.
Give gifts of time, not necessarily material things.
Hug even more.
Ditto on the kisses...
One very big joyous moment this past year was celebrating DH's 70th birthday. Best. Day. Ever.
When I think of the past year, that really stands out. Also, adding new babies. Four amongst our extended family members. Two marriages. (One was a dear friend whose husband died last year that I have written about before) An engagement. "Dating" the grandkids each month.
Visiting faraway family. Reading a hundred books. Remodeling a room or two. An around the world trip. Just kidding. THAT would have been nice...
Yes, we have had some very low points. But, we have had many many more joys.
Surround yourself with joy...always. See you in 2014 and may it bring you joys and blessings.
