what is really important at the holidays

[chris]

sad day in chi town, people. a close couple of friends lost a beautiful, vibrant, healthy 15 year old daughter due to a drunk driver the on saturday. she was at her boyfriend's birthday party. at 11 o'clock she phoned her parents to pick her up. while waiting on her ride, she crossed a busy street. a 17 year old who had too much to drink plowed into her. at her parents arrival, they had to swerve around several ambulances and paramedics. turns out they were working on their daughter. she died 40 minutes after being brought to the hospital. i found out because my sister happened to catch it on the local news. the parents are devastated.

this time of year...many people get depressed beacuse of what they do not have. i'm asking you to be glad for what you do have. and we all have something or someone. please...call your parents and tell them you miss them. if you have children, give them a hug and listen to what they have to say. be a part of our family's life. do not take for granted what and whom is there because a sick twist of fate can erase just about anything these days. love those who love you. and make it count. please.

you will be missed, monika. and you really mattered to those around you. i'm better for having known you,

chris

[Mike]

Chris that is so awful to loose someone close to you at this time of year. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus and when bad things happen, or things don't go well in one's life, people can get into a state of depression. There are so many good things happening in this world, it is not all bad. Don't watch so much news, people are doing wonderful things for each other. Chris has said it well, we all should be so very thankful for what we have. Embrace it, even say it out loud to your family and friends.

[mi]

It's awful, Chris, I'm really sorry. It's nothing new, I know. People here are killed everyday in hit-and-run accidents, drivers who ignore traffic lights, etc. I'm always freaking out, thinking that people have to lose their lives because some low life decided to have some fun on the road, and to hell with everyone else. Makes me shiver, just thinking of my own child. I don't have a driver's license and that's for the best interst of all sides involved...

I have also lost a dearly beloved person last year - my highschool history teacher. There's no point in trying to describe him - you'll never understand if you've never met him. Not a day passes without me thinking of him. . He died of lung cancer, and not only that he never smoked, he was always famous for eating well, execising every day, etc. And the saddest thing is, he didn't even make it to see Paul's concert here - he always used to tell us what a huge Beatle fan he is, and I know he would have been there - in the front row, with me... well, you know. It's always heart warming to remember the beautiful moments you shared with loved people you lost. I have such a bitter-sweet memory from my last encounter with him. I went to my old highschool about four months before he died, when I was 5 months pregnant, and the last words he said to me - with what little voice he had left - were "I'm kind of busy today, but if you come some other time we'll sit and talk some more" (I made him quite proud, you see, since I studied history in college and always came to tell him about my studies, show him my papers, etc)... and, Well, that other time never came...he knew he hadn't much time left but, as I was told later, was hopeful till the end. Quite a good lesson to remember, especially at holiday times...

[EddieV]

That is terrible Chris. I feel people get more and selfish, also in the traffic. We had a record of loosing people in the traffic in my country this year!!

I hope you are all right and enjoying holiday after all

[chris]

thank you to those who have posted a reply. no words or actions at all can undo what has been done. and i am deeply sorry for those of you who have lost love ones or friends, especially at the holidays. but words can be a powerful tool. and there is comfort knowing there are those who sympathize. be well, good peeps. and again, thank you.