I hate holidays! A friend posted this on FaceBook last week.
Jim (John) and his sister Nan in Home For Christmas.
I understand all the reasons that holidays can be stressful. We make them that way. There are tensions in families. We think everything must be perfect. And there is never enough time to get things done the way we think they should be.
I’ve had many holidays where I would sit in the car for a minute before going in to prep myself not to show that anything was wrong.
This year the fall play at Oakley High School was Home For Christmas. About a family who’s 80ish mother has recently been diagnosed with a heart condition. The youngest daughter takes it upon herself to bring her brother and sister back for Christmas with fears that it might be mother’s last. Of course, we get to see the family tension and resolution of that tension in the play. If only it were that easy.
This play brought up a lot of emotions for me. Other years I might have just thought it was cute.
Jim (John) and Jean, Jim’s love interest from High School.
For the last four holiday seasons, I’ve felt blessed that Mike was with us. In 2014 we had spent several weeks in November and December traveling to KU Med Center to find the cancer that a local provider thought he had. In early December that year, we stopped looking because they couldn’t find anything.
In 2015 we made trips to MD Anderson in September-December to treat the blood disorder that he had had many transfusions to treat. Between those trips to Houston, we had made trips to KU Med Center to treat his esophagus stricture.
In 2016 he had been scheduled for surgery in January that had to be scrubbed because he had been too sick, and we were trying to get him ready for a second try at it after the holidays.
In 2017 he was having major problems with his feeding tube and it was finally taken out on December 22. He had been in so much pain that he wasn’t eating or drinking much because of it.
This year will be completely different. Mike won’t be here.
Jim (John) bringing in the Christmas Tree.
So along with-it being John’s senior year, and that being bittersweet itself. This play brought up some real emotions around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I know that emotions rise around the holidays. I know that things won’t be perfect. When someone asks me if I’m ready for Christmas, and I never am, I respond that it doesn’t matter, Christmas will come whether I’m ready or not.
Holidays come and go whether we want them to or not. It’s our perception around them that counts. Be in the moment with the ones you love. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, perfection is impossible. And if there is someone toxic in your life, it’s OK to cut them out of it. Do it and move on.
Life is fleeting. Spend time with those you love. Enjoy your moments.
Take some time to celebrate the Holiday with your loved ones. They are all that matters.
Onward! Self-Care
Make a Connection in the comments below.
The cast spells out Merry Christmas to relive an old pageant.
