Yeah, there you are. I see those hands going up in the back. It's okay, even the most beloved, low-key holidays have a way of putting some of us on edge. Take this one, for instance. This one tends to be pretty family and food-centric, and that can be both a blessing and a curse.
We don't all belong to one of those Normal Rockwell painting families; in fact, I'd venture to say that most of us don't anymore. Divorced or blended families can make for some tricky interpersonal action. Those of us who are single or not close to our families (or are navigating a tough time with our families or a relationship) can find ourselves alone for the holiday, or suffering through it in silence, or burying our feelings, or giving in to self-destructive or unhealthy impulses.
For a few years there, I was fighting depression and dealing with some difficult family interaction, and it's safe to say I spent most of my holiday time either lurking in the kitchen and smoking out a window, or plunked on the porch, also -- you guessed it! -- smoking. Using my cigarettes as an excuse not to interact with my family on this, the one holiday where a family meal tends to be the primary reason people are gathering. For a couple of those, add a little too much wine to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster. Or at least I did!
There will be a little stress; there always is. I don't think I would even recognize a holiday without at least a little of it, after all! But I choose to be an optimist, and hope it will be just a minor part of my day, as I hope you all have a low-stress day too. And if you're teetering on the edge of that wagon, try not to give [insert frustrating relative or situation here] that power over you. You're stronger than that!
And if all else fails, there's always pie.
Current members of the GUS team:
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