A question about the holidays was asked in a tribe I belong to. I had to think about it for a while before I responded:

Thanksgiving - I usually "celebrate" TG with friends - I don’t have many family. This year my SO and I may get out of town (short trip).

December 1 - My birthday, but I rarely celebrate. Actually, I can’t remember the last time I did.

December 21 through 23 - Is going to be the 2-year anniversary of losing my baby. From finding out his heart stopped via ultrasound to giving birth. Unfortunately, I will be working through the 22nd but will be able to take some time off between after the 22nd and New Years.

X-Mas - Never really celebrated it. SO isn’t big on it either.

New Years - Maybe a quiet night at home or with friends.

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Despite some of the sadness that I face in the coming weeks, this year will be so much better than last: Unemployed and working 12 a day a temporary job I didn’t like and still couldn’t make ends meet and alone facing some major challenges in my life. A year later, life has improved for me dramatically in ways I could not imagine 365 days ago. A lot of this improvement had to do with the encouragement and support I received from some of my friends on tribe - even the ones I never met in person.

These changes and improvements wasn’t without a great deal of sadness and pain along the way, even as I speak, but trust me, things are much better.