Holidays Are Often Bittersweet
Happy Holidays All…..As I reflect on the last year I am overwhelmed with happiness!! My life has taken a completely different turn. For a very long time I have felt that there was more that I should be doing, But not sure what?? Perplexing!! I realize the most important job for me is being a MOM, BUT…..there is more to me than just that.
Some call it high energy, high anxiety, some madness, YEP that is me and how I function. I am a grateful soul that puts all of myself into everything I do and often it makes for a crazy life. I wear my heart on my sleeve and am dramatic, passionate, and empathetic. I worry constantly, I even wake up in the middle of the night trying to figure out friends, family members, neighbors, work and/or life problems, F’ing CRAZY!!!! With that being said, I found my peaceful place……MY BLOG!!!
The Holiday Season is Bittersweet….it is a time for family and reflection, giving and resting, along with Missing and Sadness. I decided to share a couple old pics….the pic directly above is of my immediate family, Mom, Dad, sisters, maternal grandparents, and aunt. The featured image is of just the original “5” Pellegrinos’!!! I realize it is my communion pic, but it was awfully hard to find a pic from the early 1980’s that didn’t exclude one parent. I told my kids, we didn’t have selfies, timers, or sticks on Christmas or most other occasions and our family unit was a short lived experience. A few years after my communion pic, my parents got divorced and that was a game changer….No More Holiday or Occasions pictured of us together.
For the past 31 years I have not spent a holiday with the original “5”. Divorce and death led to new life experiences and memories and the Holidays have never been the same. Although, I rarely look back on my past, I decided to go through the old photo albums. I felt so happy and so sad concurrently. What I did see in looking back as a 44 year old woman, wife, and Mother of 3, is how happy we use to be. I forgot how happy the original “5” were and how our times together, although short lived, were great!!!…..In this, I wanted to celebrate the family, MY Family, YOUR Families that are not broken and sad, Just Divided and Changed….
I realized with anyone, looking back brings sadness and hurt, but also great joys! My family, collectively Italian American, had loved each other passionately. We were taught to always work really hard, get an education, eat like it is the end of the world, love effortlessly and constantly, be intense and determined, (which has sustained my sisters, mom, and I through the many good and bad times), become entrepreneurs, )(my Dad’s family had a pizzeria and always had fond memories ) always grow your love for knowledge, give endlessly, and never forget those who have come and gone before us!!!
The Holiday Season, which is always bittersweet, is upon us. I am absolutely the happiest I have ever been, still just as sad, and greatly appreciative of all the love and gracious kindness that has come from you all. I wish you all an abundance of health and happiness along with great success. Here’s to 2019…….
Onto Heart At Work’s Exciting Future….I have high hopes and expectations for new things to come and would love to have some feedback on how to better suit your needs and wants. Eating and living healthy, offering cooking events, Instapot recipes, along with back on track accountabilitiy tactics is what is on the way. Happy Holidays to All of my Friends & Family, I wish you peace and love….
Stephanie