By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites

While serving in the Navy, there were many years I could not be home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I thought  everyone should be home on those holidays.  One year I called home from Spokane, WA.  I just completed an eleven-hour communications mission in a C-130 aircraft. I was exhausted and sad.  I sobbed, “Mom I should be home with all of you.”

 “Cherrilynn, it is not the specific day that makes the season special, it is being with you. Now go have fun with you military family” 

Her statement changed the way I think about holidays or any event I expected to attend.  I am forever grateful for her wisdom.  

I flew home for New Years and we opened our presents then.  The next year I flew on Christmas Day.  My crew had low moral expecting that it would be another depressing Christmas Day away from family. 

 My friend and flight partner Vicky and I decided to get a Christmas stocking with each crew members name on it.  We flew with these guys for over a year and knew what each one liked.  We chose many small trinkets and candy.  Christmas eve, before the crew came onboard, we hung the stocking inside the airplane. The look on their faces when they saw the stocking was priceless.  These grown men were almost brought to tears.  The Communications Officer exclaimed, Thank you! We never would have expected this.  The next year the guys were waiting for their stocking, so we made it a yearly tradition. 

I know many of you can’t attend the writers’ conference or be with family during the holidays because of Covid or other circumstances. I encourage you to make the best of your situation and celebrate. You may start a tradition or gain new writing material.

Cherrilynn Bisbano is a coach, editor, and partner at The Write Coach Team.

As former managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.

Cherrilynn is a speaker with Women Speakers. Her topics include leadership, book proposals, and the Bible and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers ACFW.

She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Southern Writers, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Christian Voice, Refresh and other online magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to Selah nominated, Breaking the Chains, Heart Reno, and Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles books.

Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.  She lives with her eighteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 21 years.

Cherrilynn loves Christ, Chocolate, coffee, and Cats.