AH! The month of December is upon us and in full swing! 'Tis the season of Christmas! There are so many reasons to love December, but Christmas is the one reason that people tend to think of first—the love, joy, and sense of magic it brings to everyone, young and old is indescribable. Christmas is a time filled with stories of pure joy and hope as it is the day the King was sent into our world to save us all!!! The love we see at Christmas time is that of no other. Broken families gather for the first time in a year or maybe even five and end up enjoying each other’s company.

Love is also evident through those who so graciously adopt an angel from the tree at school or Salvation Army, those who pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child, and even those inside our own home and lives that sometimes we forget to acknowledge our appreciation for throughout the entire year.

The magic of believing in Christmas goes far beyond the years of the North Pole and Scout Elves. Christmas overall is a magical time because for a couple of days we take the time to slow down from our busy lives and simply enjoy one another and those family members that we don’t always get to see.

While Christmas and December, in general, is a joyous and exciting time, as I grow and mature, I have learned that such a joyous season can also be difficult for some families. Some aren’t worried about what presents will show up under the tree— I am talking about those who are wondering what Christmas in heaven is like.

Holidays are especially hard, but for those who have lost loved ones, Christmas tops that list for sure.

The pain hits when you aren’t expecting it, like when that snow starts falling and memories from years past start flooding in or when you’re making your list and trying to find everyone a perfect gift and you realize that there is one less name to have a present wrapped beneath the tree.

Then you start to wonder what it will be like around the tree without that precious face that you have loved for so long. It makes you wonder if Christmas will ever be normal again or if it will ever be the same and the answer is no. It is never going to be like Christmases past, but with love and a little bit of faith, we are able to make a new normal and new memories that our loved ones would be proud of and smile about.

I know it is not going to be easy, but we are all in this together and so many people are facing the same fears and battles. As Christmas quickly approaches and then leaves us behind, the year filled with all of the memories both good and bad will end. Endings bring about new beginnings and the opportunity to open our hearts and to graciously embrace the change the past year has brought us.