We've all lost so many people this year - from 4 months to 86+. I thought - first out of pure selfishness and then in purer love - I would post this.

You are so right. We must remember and honor them. But still ... think about how many we do still have, and know that those we lost are still living in all of our hearts. I sent Mrs. T a holiday card, but it had to be "just" from the heart this year. And the little one, well, that 'card' will be sent every year. It adds up to a lot of good.

Lost 4 this year myself.
Not here with me in body now, but couldn't be closer in spirit.
I'll never forget!
Sometimes on Father's Day...I'll buy a card...sign it, then burn it. Sending him a "smoke signal"! Crazy I know, but it makes me feel better. (Didn't lose him this year though...been gone 28 years)

I think that's a wonderful thing to do, Stephanie.
With some people it doesn't matter how long it's been. In fact, with some you only keep missing them more and more

That's very true!

When big events come around that you know they wouldn't have wanted to miss. Sometimes...if you listen close, they send you a little something to let you know that they didn't really miss it after-all.

At certain events, celebrations and get-togethers, we actually put out an empty chair (or chairs), just for symbolism and to reinforce the fact that a particular person (or persons), though not here in body are present in spirit. It seems to create a happy, rather than sad feeling.....

good topic this time of year....
even though you get more used to someone's being "gone"... i too think i miss them more and more ...

I was just feeling a little nostalgic when I started this one.
We ran the whole spectrum this year...from sharing Brody's loss - to loosing John's younger cousin (40) to Mrs. T. 86 and a few others.... But Mrs. T's ornament is high up in a place of honor, on the tree facing into the living room. My daughter's 2 ornaments are oposite, facing out the window in the direction of her apartment. (we "lost" her figuratively not physically - and not this year- but for me, daily and I will never get used to it) Im hoping ADG's theory (he uses about singing) of the "feeling" catching the wind and ending up on a person who needs it. (She needs it despirately)

I (or someone else can) will start a thread about all the wonderful things that happened in '08 too - I havent lost site of them.

PS - I love the empty chair idea at parties....

I put on my YAHOO calendar anniversary's of deaths of family & friends so it can remind me of exactly when they passed on so I won't forget what date they passed on. It just sent me a reminder in my e-mail that our friend Geoff died on Sundays date in 2005. This post in memory of Geoff & those who have have passed on...

The morning I lost a friend back in March....
He logged on to MSN at about 5 am and logged right back out, which I found odd but let it go.

When his wife called me to tell me of his passing, we were discussing the time. I told her it couldn't have been like she thought, because he had logged into MSN at that time.
We surmised that he logged in...whatever happened, happened and he went back to bed as that's where he was when she woke up...he had slid out of bed and that's what woke her. It was around 6:30 when she woke up and found him on the floor.

The next morning....he logged into MSN again at the very same time and right back out.
I called his wife and told her that it must not have been him that morning because well...he couldn't have done it the second time....
or could he?

I check his contact info every now and then as I haven't had the heart to remove him from my MSN list and it still shows that last day that was logged in.

It haunted me for a long time. (the logging in & right back out thing had never happened before and hasn't happened since.)

I finally just told myself that it was his way of saying Goodbye and made peace with it. Not having him around for the Holidays will be rough, but not as rough as not having him call and sing me Happy Birthday like he has every year for about the last 20 or so.

It will be a bit of a Blue Christmas without ya Billy, but I know you won't be far away. (Ding me on MSN again if ya want to...I'm always around )

So sorry to hear about your friend. I still keep in my e-mail address book addresses of folks who've passed on cuz I can't bear to remove their addresses...

Who knew?