Quote Originally Posted by mhall View Post
During this time of year I am always reminded of just how important it is to tell your family and friends what they mean to you. I have always struggled with this my whole life. You know that whole tough guy thing not wanting to be mushy and awkward. Well as I have gotten older and lost most of my entire family including my Mother, Father and two of three siblings I realize that was a pretty dumb way to look at it.

While I still struggle with it I now will be more open and I wish I could have done it more with some while they were here. I say all this so that if you to find yourself in this situation don't do what I did and tell them what they mean to. Extending a heart felt loving gesture to someone isn't a sign of weakness or being soft its the exact opposite.

Just some thoughts I felt like sharing sorry for being a Debbie Downer if some view it that way.
Excellent post! I'm guilty of the same stuff. We didn't show or express a lot of feelings growing up. I think it was having a career Navy man as a father and an Asian mother who took no crap. They gave me plenty of rope to hang myself and I did quite often but the "touchy feely" stuff wasn't there as much as with other families.

I raised my older daughter with more of a hands on with my feelings and will do so with my youngest but it's not second nature for me to cuddle up with them....I do work at it and it's awesome.

I never told my dad I loved him until 6 months before he passed. It tore me up because I finally said it but I did it because I knew we would lose him soon. I'm eternally grateful I did it and he knew I did but it wasn't our way. He couldn't bring himself to say it to me but I understood. He cried like a baby when I told him I loved him and his tears and sobbing said to me how much he did....he was a tough man from a tough time.

Good stuff brother. Hope you have a wonderful Merry Christmas and wish you the best in life, your a good dude.