I talked with a couple of friends this weekend about how they're handling their holiday plans and I just feel like saying how grateful I am that I've been spending the last few years making Christmas less and less "important" and less and less stressful and more about taking care of myself and not losing my bleep because I am not stressed about this year.
It helps that my Mom just flat out said "this year is just cancelled, for everything" and so we haven't "done" any holidays or celebrations this year (other than the occasional sitting outside to say hello for birthdays and such). So that's made it easier to know that Christmas wasn't even something they were considering. I also don't have kids or young ones so I know that makes things a lot easier for me too, but yeah, I'm relieved that I'm not having to worry about things at all this year.
I know people are reacting to the ongoing pandemic in a variety of ways and I know that all the holidays and celebrations over the next month will likely push some folks over an edge of safe choices... and that some will be hard hit and struggle. One friend I talked to said that as she and her husband were trying to figure out what outdoor, possibly safe (and depending on what the rules are at the time) short get together with parents/kids they might feel comfortable pulling off he asked her why they were even thinking about it when they wouldn't have been thinking about it in April. And yeah... the fatigue is certainly a thing. And we've been living with it for most of a year now... and, well, I know for many Christmas is a HUGE thing, especially as we age and have aging, not always well parents. But as my friend said to me, even if my parent is willing to risk it, how will I feel if I end up killing my parent just over wanting to have them see their grandkid on Christmas day?
So, yeah... I get that this is rough for a whole lot of folks, and there are so many celebrations around this time of year, not just Christmas....
I don't know if the idea of a vaccine being sort of kind of probably close-ish? will make it easier for people to say "ok, well it won't be that much longer... right?" or if it will make some more lax or what.
Anyway, it's starting to stress me out to think about all this and especially starting to stress me out to think about the endless possibilities of "the future" (I put that in quotations so you could say it in a big scary voice because it feels big and scary when the anxiety kicks in...)
This is a dark time of year. Literally in this hemisphere.... and for many it's also a metaphorically dark time of year. And having a pandemic at this darkest time of year is not ideal. But it's what we have and I hope we all make the best, most well informed choices we can make to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy and well and safe, and to keep our medical system from getting overwhelmed. But I know folks are stressed and trying to figure out something they've never had to think about before.
To quote Jim Morrison...
Hang in there my loves. That's my plan. I hope it's yours too.
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