the last elevne yeasr have been so hard on me because on December 24th of 1996 my Uncle Patrick whom, I was close to was reported missing. For those who don't know it was all over the news as "Two Connecticut pilots reported missing on Christmas Eve." As you could image there was no Christmas that year for our entire family. That was the start of a decade of depressing Christmas's. For two more Christmas's we did not know where he was but on November 22, 1999 he was found it was more than ever a bitter sweet Christmas that year. For the next 7 years when November 22nd rolled around I would be depressed till the New Year. Also during that 7-year period my grandfather who I was extremely close to died of cancer December 22, 2003 and was buried December 24th next to his son who was reported missing and died that same day. The fallowing Christmas season my best college buddy Brian was given a snowboard for Christmas and tried it out on January 2, 2005 & hit a tree and died instantly. Yet none of that has affected this years Christmas cheer at all like it has the last eleven years. Yes I have my sad moments but nothing like the other years my heart is finally healing.