12/17/06 Home for the Holidays

I invited families of the missing to share a slice of life at Christmastime without their missing loved one. I will post these stories as I receive them into early January. If there ends up being few stories, it is mostly because writing about this subject matter is extremely difficult. Many are trying their best to get through the holidays and they don’t want another reminder of their loss.

The inspiration for this series came from the song “Home for Christmas”, which has been popular with soldiers serving our country for decades. I observe that the media carries stories of these men and women who are away from home at the holidays. We remember them and are grateful for their service, but we also have an empty place at the table. We desperately need for our loved ones to be remembered, too, because it is often the awareness brought about by media attention that unlocks the mystery of their disappearance and brings them home.

That our missing loved one would be “Home for the Holidays” is our fondest dream. Stay with us as we share our dreams for a Christmas miracle. Christmas past, present, and future with those whom we love and miss unfold in these stories.

May you and yours have the most blessed of Christmasses.

Kelly Jolkowski