Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays, ‘Cause no matter how far away you roam, When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze, For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.

With the holiday season upon us, stores are brimming with festive decorations, and Christmas music fills the air. Yet, how often do we sing these familiar carols without pausing to reflect on the profound messages they carry? That was often the case for me — until it wasn’t.

Thirty-four years ago, on Nov. 6, I welcomed two adorable little boys into the world: twins. One was healthy and strong; the other, not so much. My boys had twin-twin transfusion syndrome while in utero, which caused an unequal sharing of blood. This led to a variety of problems for one of the twins, including a significantly low birth weight. He was born just over three pounds — nearly half his brother’s weight.

The most serious of his problems occurred when he was just two days old. He wasn’t eating well, and the hospital staff was deeply concerned. Concern quickly turned into an emergency when his tiny, newborn stomach ruptured, spilling its contents, including digestive juices, into his system. By the demeanor of the medical staff, it was clear how dire the situation was. I later learned that this condition is extremely rare, with a very high mortality rate. Before they whisked him away by Life Flight, they asked if I would like a picture of him.

That felt like asking if I wanted a final picture of my tiny newborn. I violently shook my head and said, “I will take it when I see him again.” I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my precious boy.

He survived the rare emergency surgery — one of only 200 reported cases since 1825 — but it was touch and go in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for weeks. There were many calls from the hospital warning us that he might not make it, and we would speed to Danville, praying we’d arrive in time. He was small but mighty, and against all odds, he grew stronger and began to heal.

During those many trips back and forth, I often played a Christmas CD to keep me company. One song in particular became my solace, its words soothing the longing in my heart to have my boy home: “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays.” I would listen with tears streaming down my face — just as they are now, as I reminisce.

One verse became especially dear to me: “Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays, ‘Cause no matter how far away you roam, If you want to be happy in a million ways, For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”

As Thanksgiving came and went and Christmas drew closer, I watched the world around me prepare for the season. But none of the usual preparations — presents, decorations, food — seemed important. The only thing that mattered was having my family together for Christmas.

I was afraid my wish would not be granted. But sure enough, my tough little guy grew stronger, and at the beginning of December, he was discharged at a month old, weighing a whopping 4 pounds, 6 ounces. We were all going to be together for the holidays. Things were just as they should be.

The story, however, didn’t end there. He wound up back in the hospital on Christmas Eve, and his first Christmas was spent in the hospital. Yet, our story still had a happy ending. Although he required several more surgeries for various issues, he grew up to live a happy, sports-filled childhood, graduated college with honors, and went on to earn his master’s degree. Today, he is married with two beautiful children and has spent the last several years working with individuals battling addiction. Just this summer, he opened his private practice as a licensed counselor.

This experience taught me that life is precious, family is precious, and yes, the holidays are precious. They offer a special time to pause, give thanks, and appreciate our loved ones. It’s also a time to give back to our communities and truly listen to the words of those familiar Christmas carols, which remind us why this is the most wonderful time of the year.

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Rhonda Kelley is the executive director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.