Reuniting For The Holidays

Usually when we get together for the holidays, we end  up seeing people that we have not been in touch with for a considerable amount of time.  Whether it is family, friends or acquaintances, there is always a mix of people that we are connected to, yet are not necessarily part of their everyday lives.  This is why I enjoy the holidays as it reminds me that I have so many of these individuals that deserve some time out of my schedule, that they enable me to slow down and be present in catching up through a friendly conversation or a nice meal.  Through out the world, this is a common custom where people travel to see their loved ones on special occasions to be part of memorable and joyous moments that are captured in time.  I often wonder about the amount of times that we get each year that we take for in expecting these reunions to occur without the thought that someone may not be there the next time?  If you ask a person who lost someone near and dear to them, they can almost always tell you when the last time they spoke and saw that special person, with fine detail and recollection.  I think it is something that we all cling to in that we always want to remember every bit of detail associated with our last encounter with the special people in our lives, that makes us want to savor every moment so that our memories have the most comprehensive picture associated with those individuals.  I always remember a film some time ago, that captured the relationship of two people, through the course of weddings and funerals, which was where these people always ended up seeing other.  In our own lives we also have those instances when we think about the people in our lives that we long to see, yet time and distance is sometimes a living hurdle that prevents us from connecting on a more frequent basis.  I also know that as we age, we come to realize the importance of all moments in our lives that we want to capture when we are far from these individuals that we want to see.  The mental snapshots of these encounters are forever framed in our minds as we joyfully recall all of them when we have a need for a smile or laugh.  Every year when we get to a marked holiday, we can look back to see how many of our special people are no longer with us and it can make us think a little deeper about the many opportunities that we wished we had back.  Whether it is a small informal gathering or a marked formal occasion, I wish for all of you to realize that your memories and archives of these special moments are completely unique and you will never be able to go back to recreate any of them.  All things are new everyday and the opportunity to spend time with those that are closest to you, has an expiration date.  As a result, be purposeful in ensuring that you are making time to spend with all of the special people in your life and even if it is not a holiday, do your best to carve out these reunions so that you can never say to yourself that you wished you had more time or were able to do things differently.  Having no regrets about how you lived your life is the ultimate goal and being able to celebrate your living moments with those that bring a smile to your face and a feeling of joy is just icing on the cake.