Missing Someone This Christmas? You Don’t Need to Hide Real.

By Kyle McNeil - Dec 22 , 2010

It’s “the time of the season”, and there’s a special pull of magic as Christmas arrives. For millions of people, this is a long-awaited time of year. For some though, there is a silent hesitancy, especially for those who’ve lost family members, or find themselves countries apart.

As I’m learning, this is very true for many people. Losing my father this year, I can attest to this feeling, and also hearing from others who’ve lost family, it’s a prominent feeling. It’s almost as if the once thought “healed wound” is re-exposed, as joys, memories, and regrets pour in. The emotion of sadness is often trumped by gratitude, specifically for the role and impact of countless people in 2010, who have really stepped up as heroes. Evidence of “community” (very Civic Cycle like) is massively prominent, as we push and pull forward in unison.

I could go on and on, but if you’re missing someone, know that everything is okay. Just take a moment to breathe and look around. The world is still turning, and you still have life in your hands. This is good advice for me too; I’m confident we’ll make it through this.

Songs, like Alabama’s “Angels Among Us”, are helpful in that effort.

With all this in mind, one thing I’m the most grateful for, is how in a Civic Cycle, openness and transparency are encouraged. The opportunity to write about a topic  is the kind of stuff people need. And that wouldn’t have been encouraged 10 years ago. The great thing is that this framework actually moves us forward.

If this “realness” resonates with you too, let us know what are you doing (or being) to deliver real this Holiday Season?

Please share…the more real the better

We all need it.