Hey, guys – welcome back to TNTH!
We are literally twelve days away from possibly one of the biggest holidays in American culture (and I say that because Christmas has turned into the holiday of consumerism, and that’s what American culture practically is). In a more traditional perspective, it’s the time of year when families come together and spend time with one another, no matter how long it’s been since you’ve last seen them. The holiday season is the time of year I get to see my family the most; we always do this thing where we open gifts together at my aunt’s house and ever since I was a child, I looked forward to doing this with my family.
The last year, though, my family has had its ups and downs, and personally, it’s hard to get that “holiday spirit” because I don’t have that “connection” like I once did. I’ve learned a lot about my family in the last year, and although I love my family, there’s always someone or something dividing us: distance, people, the list can go on.
All and all, it’s sometimes hard to get into the holiday spirit when you know that the happiest time of year isn’t the happiest for you or your family. It seems like the holiday season can sometimes even bring out the worst in people, and it just sucks when it does the ladder.
I know I am not the only alone out there who feels this way, and this post is for those who feel alone.
Some people can’t go home for the holidays because their family doesn’t accept their lifestyle or their identities. Some people don’t have family left to go home to. Some people are in situations where they have to split up their holiday season because their families just function that way. There are a million reasons why the holiday season can be a rough one, and also one of the reasons why suicide is so high during these seasons.
This is the season where you have to be thankful for what you have, and throw away the idea of the things you don’t.
If you don’t have a family to go home to, I bet you there is a friend who will open their home to you during the holiday season. If you simply don’t have that family connectivity and feel more distant than loved, celebrate the holiday season with your friends. Celebrate Friendsmas or something. NO matter what the situation is, you have people who love and support you and will welcome you because it’s the holiday season and no one wants to see a person alone on the holidays.
As for me, I am taking care of my mental health this holiday season. It’s so easy to think about the bad things that happened around this time of year, but I know I’m coming out stronger if I live these next few weeks thankful for those who love me, and those who I love back. In some strange way, I am letting the brokenness of this situation make me stronger as a person, and to enter 2018 on a positive note. I am allowing this to be an example for me so that when I get older and have a family of my own that no one will feel alone or distinct.
This holiday season, I matter to someone. Someone is thankful to have me in their lives. And the same thing goes for you.
-Liz. (:
Letters From Liz. 