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First holiday in 48 years spent without family

 
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 06:40 PM
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First holiday in 48 years spent without family
.....and I had the time of my life. I volunteered at a homeless shelter.
No big egos, no bitching about the food, no faked conversations or bs lies about how good someone's business is doing.

Sooo freaking refreshing.

Everyone was equal. No one talked about who had gained the most weight or made the most money over the year.

My grown children and grandchildren, even my elderly mother was pissed I made this decision.

Not I.... I will do it again. It was so liberating from a superficial existence.

I challenge anyone who has never done it to try it.

I had a stereotype pictured in my mind of what I would find. What I found was totally different. These people had teeth, clean clothes, smelled good and every single one had a smile and was grateful.

Today changed my life. These were everyday people just like you and I.

From this day forward, I will be different. I will be better.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 28291370
Australia
11/22/2012 06:42 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
clappa

BRAVO Op
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 28301060
United States
11/22/2012 06:44 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
awesome
NoirChats

User ID: 27805335
United States
11/22/2012 06:46 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
:)
aether

User ID: 28218601
United Kingdom
11/22/2012 06:48 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
bump
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1369638
Puerto Rico
11/22/2012 06:49 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Thank you OP...You gave freely of yourself and now the world does look different!
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 06:50 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone only to find out I was never really comfortable to begin with. Today.. I was really comfortable.

No expectations from these people. No false aires...

Just simply genuine appreciation and kindness.

It blew me away.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 06:54 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Has anyone else here taken their time away from family on a holiday and done this?

I'd love to know if it changed you too.

I'm just sorry it took me 48 years to learn such a valuable lesson.

.
zariel
User ID: 22774755
United States
11/22/2012 06:54 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
It also happens when you take the bus....there is so much compassion on the bus.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1369638
Puerto Rico
11/22/2012 06:56 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Has anyone else here taken their time away from family on a holiday and done this?

I'd love to know if it changed you too.

I'm just sorry it took me 48 years to learn such a valuable lesson.

.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 18868813


Yes OP I have...Still do.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1072087
United States
11/22/2012 06:56 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
I spent the last 20 years worth of Holidays, on guard duty, Patrols Mounted & Dismounted, dodging Missiles and Artillery Shells.

I enjoyed this years with my Wife and Kids!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1369638
Puerto Rico
11/22/2012 06:58 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
I spent the last 20 years worth of Holidays, on guard duty, Patrols Mounted & Dismounted, dodging Missiles and Artillery Shells.

I enjoyed this years with my Wife and Kids!

 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1072087


Very Happy for you to be home with your family!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 4545733
United States
11/22/2012 06:58 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
WOW......Kudos to YOU, OP.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 06:59 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
I spent the last 20 years worth of Holidays, on guard duty, Patrols Mounted & Dismounted, dodging Missiles and Artillery Shells.

I enjoyed this years with my Wife and Kids!

 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1072087


Yay for you... That's the way it should be spent. ( just learned this today) not by doing what's expected, but doing what matters and makes a difference.

Be it with family or strangers.

God bless...
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 07:03 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Has anyone else here taken their time away from family on a holiday and done this?

I'd love to know if it changed you too.

I'm just sorry it took me 48 years to learn such a valuable lesson.

.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 18868813


Yes OP I have...Still do.
 Quoting: Settle4It


Yay for you too.... I feel stupid that I never figured out how good this was till today. But today, is the first day of the rest of my life.....
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 28230994
United States
11/22/2012 07:05 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
two thumbs up op
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 07:10 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
two thumbs up op
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 28230994


Thank you. ;).
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 28266702
United States
11/22/2012 07:14 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
cheers




that's right, refreshing is the word. thanks op.
Gratia Plena

User ID: 1220977
United States
11/22/2012 07:14 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Yay for you... That's the way it should be spent. ( just learned this today) not by doing what's expected, but doing what matters and makes a difference.

Be it with family or strangers.

God bless...
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward


Amen. How wonderful that your holiday ended up so fulfilling! I find myself both jealous and ashamed I didn't do what you did. It can be very hard to tell others that their expectations do not matter to you anymore. Bravo!

Last Edited by Gratia Plena on 11/22/2012 07:15 PM
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 07:15 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Settle4it....did you do it today too?
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 28266702
United States
11/22/2012 07:15 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
I spent the last 20 years worth of Holidays, on guard duty, Patrols Mounted & Dismounted, dodging Missiles and Artillery Shells.

I enjoyed this years with my Wife and Kids!

 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1072087


Very Happy for you to be home with your family!
 Quoting: Settle4It




yes, i can see this side too.


good on all.


alone or together, just be thankful.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 07:20 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Yay for you... That's the way it should be spent. ( just learned this today) not by doing what's expected, but doing what matters and makes a difference.

Be it with family or strangers.

God bless...
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward


Amen. How wonderful that your holiday ended up so fulfilling! I find myself both jealous and ashamed I didn't do what you did. It can be very hard to tell others that their expectations do not matter to you anymore. Bravo!
 Quoting: Gratia Plena


I will be totally honest...it was very much out of character for me not to go with the flow for family functions. My family is my foundation. All the good, bad and ugly of it. This was a very last minute decision to bail.

But today showed me something I very much needed to to see and had been blind to for years.

It showed me my compassion is much more alive for more than just my family.

It's a big world out there. Kindness goes for miles. I just never allowed myself to see it.

As ugly as this world is getting. I saw how beautiful it still is today.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1369638
Puerto Rico
11/22/2012 07:22 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Settle4it....did you do it today too?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 18868813


Yes I did...I have for the past 3 yrs...After my husband died in 09...I find that sharing with others helps me make it through the holidays.
Yes I Did !!!!

User ID: 28234183
United States
11/22/2012 07:29 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
.....and I had the time of my life. I volunteered at a homeless shelter.
No big egos, no bitching about the food, no faked conversations or bs lies about how good someone's business is doing.

Sooo freaking refreshing.

Everyone was equal. No one talked about who had gained the most weight or made the most money over the year.

My grown children and grandchildren, even my elderly mother was pissed I made this decision.

Not I.... I will do it again. It was so liberating from a superficial existence.

I challenge anyone who has never done it to try it.

I had a stereotype pictured in my mind of what I would find. What I found was totally different. These people had teeth, clean clothes, smelled good and every single one had a smile and was grateful.

Today changed my life. These were everyday people just like you and I.

From this day forward, I will be different. I will be better.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 18868813


WOW !!! I could have written that exact same post.

I've excluded myself from those hypocritical, shallow family get togethers, also.

Today I stayed in my PJs, cooked a "real" Thanksgiving dinner. Counted my blessings. Talked with my kids (who all live in different states).

I had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving, and I am totally liberated from the traditional BS that always made me uncomfortable before. I just decided I didn't have to put up with the "farce". LOLhf
"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." ~ Albert Einstein
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 07:33 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Settle4it....did you do it today too?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 18868813


Yes I did...I have for the past 3 yrs...After my husband died in 09...I find that sharing with others helps me make it through the holidays.
 Quoting: Settle4It


I just wish there was some way to convey through text, to anyone who has never done this...how fulfilling and humbling it is to do this.

To hold a 6 month old baby and she smiles while her mom sits in a shelter wondering about their fate.

Yet they both come with a smile and warm hearts, just happy they had food and shelter today.

Or the 63 year old widow who had nothing but her husband. No children. He was a construction worker who died and had no insurance. But she was happy too.

I will never be the same.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 14835474
United States
11/22/2012 07:43 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Someone mentioned the bus on this thread lol. It isn't scary in a big city where a lot of people need it.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 18868813
United States
11/22/2012 07:47 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
Someone mentioned the bus on this thread lol. It isn't scary in a big city where a lot of people need it.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 14835474


Yeah, I was wondering about that since I don't take the bus. Can someone elaborate or tell me an experience?

I feel like a blind person that had vision for the first time today.
:)
User ID: 28177242
United States
11/22/2012 07:49 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
LOVE IT:)
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 22596120
United States
11/22/2012 07:51 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
hf
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 24842937
United States
11/22/2012 07:53 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
If there is a Thanksgiving next year, I'll do the same. Good job, OP!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 22596120
United States
11/22/2012 07:55 PM
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Re: First holiday in 48 years spent without family
hf





GLP