During the Christmas holiday of 2004, our family visited my grandparents. It was the last Christmas that we were together like that. On our way home we were in a car accident where four people died on the scene, including my parents.
For years the overwhelming emotion I experienced during the festive season was grief. Every Christmas was just a painful reminder that I have lost half of my family during the time of the year when being with family is most important.
It was years later, after I got married and was part of a family again, and especially after I had a daughter, that the joy of the festive season started coming back. To experience Christmas through the eyes of a child helps a lot to make new joyful memories.
My story is not unique. Many people experience intense grief during this time of the year. The pain of loss can feel overwhelming but acknowledging our feelings and talking about it have many benefits.
What is your story? Come, share it with me and others who care on Tuesday at 11:00.
Langside Church 
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