The Bearer of The Torch

Another year is quickly spiraling into oblivion.  As its end approaches, so does the most hectic time of the year for many people, the holiday season.  There are gifts to purchase or make, foods to cook that have not been cooked or baked since last year and endless activities and gatherings to attend.

For many, especially children, this is a happy and exciting time, but for some, it's the most miserable time of the year.  Celebrating the holidays, when there has been the loss of a  loved one who has passed through this veil of life, is not something the grief stricken look forward to, especially if that person was a parent. 

There have been many posts on social media platforms, that speak of how people have lost the Spirit of the season.  They say that they miss their parent too much to celebrate.  Things just are not the same with them gone.  

They are right, all these things are true.  It is not the same, it never will be.  Missing that person never really goes away, regardless of what time of the year it is and regardless of how much time has passed.  The spirit of any holiday can be lost.

Perhaps, what we have failed to see in the hopelessness, is the torch.  The torch of life that was handed to the very person we now are missing.  Most likely, if the living timeline was followed to the letter, they too had the very same feelings of grief when their parent passed.  The torch does not immediately make everything better, but its fire never dies.  It burns and waits for its new bearer to pick it up and put one foot in front of the other, to continue on.  It helps to light the way, even when we do not wish to go forward.  

The loss of any loved one leaves us with an empty space.  Pick up the torch this holiday season and let the light of that person's fire help lead you through the darkness.  Hang a strand of lights on the lamp shade or put an ornament somewhere.  Try to do something and if  this is too much, that's alright.  The torch will still be waiting, its fire burning bright, for the next day, the next week, the next holiday.