Happy Holidays?

I write this on the shortest day of the year. It also happens to be my dad’s birthday; he would have been 82. This morning, we witnessed my son’s theoretical last parade. We had a nice chat with some friends during, and while chilly, it was completely bearable. Apparently, this was the first parade in our community in many years. We really enjoyed it all. At the point where we stood, we got to hear my kid and the percussionists, which was very enjoyable. We got home, and I ate; despite a large coffee, I also napped. We’re still training our pup. We left her out for about an hour, and I don’t believe anything was destroyed; no messes made. We have certainly had a lot of gloom and rain the past week or so. It’s made it tough to want to be outside or plan anything outside.

This time of year–the holidays–can be a very difficult time. In America, we faced a super intense election. Money is tight for many of us. If you add on gloom and throw in some loss, special anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays, it can be a recipe for a hard time!

If you find yourself feeling more depressed and noticed much gloom, look into Seasonal Affective Disorder. Talk it over with your PCP. It’s a real deal, but there are some simple things you can do to help yourself.

With loss, there are likely local support groups often found at your churches. Some may not be necessarily about grief but may be helpful still such as Celebrate Recovery. A thing I’ve found the most helpful in my own experiences is finding ways to honor my loved ones. This does not have to be complicated or elaborate. My dad was literally good at most everything. Any time I do something that reminds me of him, I really try to enjoy the process intentionally. I’ve also found humming works. Yeah, I know, but it’s true for me. That way I don’t Happy Gilmore whatever it is. Let’s face: I can Clark Griswold the heck out of anything without adding frustration into the mix!

The bigger point I want to make is take care of yourself. Be aware. If you find yourself doing the same ole thing expecting different results, you already know that won’t work. Mix it up. Try something else. Just know you’re not the only one going through something. If you’re the praying type, definitely pray for your friends and family. Don’t necessarily go by feelings because they’re not always accurate.

You are not alone. You matter. You make the world more interesting.

Peace. God bless. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year.