Finally on Sunday it was time to take her back to connect with her ride to Tucson. We hugged and promised to get together again during Christmas. As I drove back from the airport, I began to feel the same disquiet which has characterized my holiday times for so long. I'm sure there are families whose holidays are truly like this. It just hasn't been my experience.
All families experience strains and difficulties.
Some face their difficulties and deal with them in healthy manners. Once the goodbyes have been said and everyone returns home, the emptiness returns as strongly as ever. I've known many persons who would return from a family visit, go to bed, bury their heads in the pillow and cry. As long as we maintain our unrealistic expectations for the holidays, we will set ourselves up to experience the emptiness of failure. There are options for us.