Merry Christmas, TGO! (2020 Edition)

[TGO David]

 

TGO Friends;

Well, it is here again and probably none too soon for some of us and all too soon for others.  This year has been... interesting... to say the least, but as I pause and think about the reason for Christmas, I am still very grateful and can say that the good still shines brighter than the bad is capable of blotting out.  Even when I consider the loss of friends that our community has endured this year, I can confidently say that I still believe that we were better to have known them and enjoyed their company while we could, than we would be had that never happened.

I am going to try to peel myself away from the Internet for the next few days and spend the time watching my kids and my first grandchild enjoy the wonders and mysteries of Christmas.  I hope you will not be offended in the least if I say that I hope I don't see many of you on here for the next 36-48 hours either... but at the same time I wouldn't blame you a bit if i do.

Let's face it:  TGO is as much a group a close friends and honorary extended family as it is anything.  Perhaps even more than anything else.  So if we do happen to bump into each other here over the holidays... well, let's just enjoy the fact that we are merely being close to those whom we choose to be close to.  After all, you don't get to choose your real family but most of us gladly make the choice to include each other here in our days and nights. 

 

As always, if you are unable to celebrate the holidays because of work - THANK YOU.  No matter what it is you do, thank you.  Whether it is working patrol as a police officer, a hospital floor as a nurse, doctor or some other role, a utilities company as an engineer or technician, an IT job as a herder of cats and conqueror of ones and zeros, or wearing the uniform of our armed services or some other first responder, or even as the clerk at a gas station or a waitress at a 24/7/365 greasy spoon... THANK YOU.  Whatever your job, whatever your role, if it keeps you there instead of at home on Christmas, I appreciate you.

 

For the rest of you, I hope that you find comfort, peace, relaxation and restoration in the days ahead.  Whether you are surrounded by family or friends, or enjoying the peace and quiet of solitude, I hope that it is in a place that you prefer doing what you wish to be doing.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, TGO!   Thank you for being a bright spot in an otherwise dark year.   Let's be sure that we are all here for each other in 2021.  It's probably going to be more nuts than we can imagine.   Yikes. 

 

On behalf of the moderating team,

--David

 

[TripleGGG]

Merry Christmas! 

 

[MacGyver]

I hope that each of you will be surrounded by ones you love - either in person or at a distance - some virtual. It’s a strange year for sure - but I pray that each of you will feel some of the peace of Christmas.

For some, This Christmas is hard because of those you’ve lost - either this year or in years past. Know that you remain in my prayers - and I remember you and them - so many we’ve lost. I pray an extra measure of peace will surround you.