(((((Lexicon)))) I know the feeling. I am the youngest in my core family... of course all of my siblings had children who are having children... but they all have their own lives in various states... and it's too much to come "home" for any particular holiday. I guess they have so much in their lives they don't understand "family" traditions. My dad was older than my mom, and so his family has all died... my mom's also, but she is still around (85) It's been her and me since Hurricane Andrew and the year after, as my dad died and my sons and hubby left me.... I have one sister who keeps trying to "make" family be family and she draws back in upset and hurt when things don't happen that way. I guess I am too depressed to hope for any good feelings from any gettogethers now.

Everyone in my dad's family died of cancer, all of his 5 brothers and dad and himself too: they each died from a different type of cancer! One even had one that was only a woman's cancer (back then I guess) ... but I don't fear cancer as I eat so differently than they... I don't think they realized what chemicals were being put into the foods.. and were real meateaters... I use few chemicals in life (and have my housekeepers keep what they use to a minimum too!) I think fear is one thing that can allow cancer to develop... imo when our tolerances are lowered... like a cold.. it's there to invade.

Of course, there are surgical ways to be sure not to get certain cancers... sigh. All you can hope is that either you won't get a cancer, or they will have a better course of treatment by the time you do...

No, holidays are not the same as we remember... and we usually only remember a good one or two and the loving warm fuzzies it gave us... I think the reason for the term "you can't go home again." TC