Holiday Spirit

The holiday season is upon us and we are into the holiday spirit now. It is always a really nice time of the year: families get together, there’s lights out, it's cold and beautiful. So I'm wishing you happy holidays and that your holiday spirit is in full roar.

What do you think of when you hear the word holidays? I think of warmth, cheer, kindness, love, compassion. That body of words encapsulate and are the flavor of the holiday spirit for me. And so that is what I wanted to talk about today, what I think should be there during the holiday spirit and what I wish for you.

The holidays are generally the time that you are nice to people, the time when you reach out to people you haven’t spoken with throughout the year to tell them how much you love them. You show your appreciation for who they are, for what they do for you and that is part of the holiday spirit and something intrinsic to the holidays.

Family is very important. So is trust. And being able to trust those that brought you into the world, your parents. Every person should be able to trust his or her parents. Unfortunately, my father Mike Rinder broke that trust when he assaulted my mother, breaking her shoulder, damaging her for life, mauling her flesh. And all the while pretending he didn't do it and that this assault had nothing to do with him. Then making fun of it, shaming the victim, lying about our family. That broke that trust right then and there. Mike Rinder broke that trust with me and my brother and the rest of our family.

In short, when he attacked my mother and crippled her for like it really showed the evil man that he actually is. And when my father, Mike Rinder then has spent the last few years insulting, lying about and spreading hate about my mom, myself and my family, well, that said the kind of abuser he is, one who blames his victim.

It’s quite unfortunate Mike Rinder is my father by blood because he fights and goes against everything I stand for, everything I champion and believe in. The things that would include are things that absolutely go with the holiday spirit such as having families that are domestic violence free, having parents that love their children, having children that support their parents. But loving people, caring for them, being nice to people, those are the things that I champion, those are the things that I stand for and that Mike Rinder, my father, fights directly one hundred percent of the time.

I have a lot of fantastic family members around the world who I love very, very much and they will absolutely be hearing from me this holiday season and knowing and hearing from me about how much I love them and appreciate them. So do the same for your family. Let everyone know how much you care about them this holiday season and keep the holiday spirit alive and keep everybody happy, caring and with no domestic violence.

I wish you Happy Holidays. Spread the holiday cheer. Be kind. Be nice.

Thank you very much.

Taryn

justice4mom