So I Might Be Emotional

Those who know me know how sentimental and sensitive I get on the holidays. For me the holidays represent being immersed by family, squished in the kitchen baking warm deliciousness and sampling what's around with as many people as can fit, listening and telling stories that cause tears and laughing pains, hugs, kisses, visits from old family and friends, eggnog, once a year feasts and lots of love. Ask me what I want as a gift and I'll always say the same thing, "Nothing." The truth, while I can't deny how excited I am to unwrap something for myself and have something new, I enjoy the hunt and find for the special people in my life (with the exception of the 'I Want, I Want" special people) and the overall feel the holidays bring. I guess you could compare how I feel about the holidays to how I feel as a mother. It's all about the time and memories Nugget and I have together and the excitement that comes from finding him that something that will light up his face, and less about the long mop of 11 month old cutless hair that's accumulated in what my mom calls a 'knot' on the top of my head.
And with these thoughts and emotions comes the horrible image my husband and I saw on our way home from Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving-a flipped car with what can only be assumed to have no survivors. With a lump in my throat I looked away from the passing scene outside my window and tried to erase the images of the family preparing the turkey and waiting for their son and his new wife who won't arrive or the husband and wife with their two kids in the back on their way to grandma's. I tried to block out the phone call those parents or grandparents got and the horrendous emotions that followed. But most of all I thought of the people everywhere who were complaining that the turkey was dry, annoyed at something the in-laws said or just plain unhappy to be a part of the day. How sad it must be for them to miss out and how much sadder it is that they don't even know what they're missing. To know that this could be the last holiday they might spend sitting next to someone, the last time they're all together as a family and the last time they could be tasting someone's delicious cookies, and yet some how we some people forget this on the holidays and only think about what's in it for them.
Is it possible there's a parenting parallel here? This could be an interesting study.