Getting Real with Shadra Bruce

October is always an emotionally charged month for me on a very personal level. October is the sign that the seasons are changing. The leaves begin to change and fall and the days and nights get cooler. Although I do look forward to the change in the seasons, I dread the onset of winter and snow. Fall was one of my mom’s favorite seasons with the bright vibrant colors and the preparations for the coming holidays.

There is so much to look forward to in October and the following months. Halloween is such a fun holiday that the kids – even grown – always get excited about. Just around the corner from that are Thanksgiving and of course Christmas and the New Year. The holidays are filled with such excitement and anticipation and fun times with friends and family.

With all of the excitement, however, comes a tinge of sadness. October 30th was my mother’s birthday. Mom made the holidays such a special time for everyone in our family. It has never been the same without her. It doesn’t matter what else is going on in any given year; my thoughts and feelings are marked by the grief of realizing another year has passed. All I can do is try to infuse the same enthusiasm and create the same fond memories for my kids and grandkids as a way to honor her memory.