by There are so many things that I wanted to post about today, but I feel that this one is important, albeit heavy.
To be clear, I LOVE this time of year. I’m blasting Christmas tunes on Thanksgiving day and decorating the day after at the latest. I LOVE the snow and could spend hours outside in the cold. I LOVE sitting inside by the fire, watching Home Alone for the 128,967th time with my family.
But this time of year can be really hard. I’ve realized this more and more working within palliative care and through my own recent personal experiences. This time of year is a time to celebrate loved ones, family, and friends. But what happens when your grief resurfaces because an important someone is gone? What happens when you watch Frozen 2 and realize that a special someone never got to see the second one despite being the biggest fan of the first one? What happens when you meander outside appreciating the insanely bright stars on a crisp night, and you’re reminded of those loved ones who are gone?
Pain. I don’t think there is a better way to describe it because it’s just painful. It’s beautiful and painful. It’s the worst and it’s the best. Like a candy cane, the white doesn’t exist without the red.
So be gentle with yourselves if you are feeling this during this time of year. Be cognizant of those arising feelings, both wonderful and painful, that may arise within you. Be aware of these feelings in others. You just never know the holes that exist in others’ hearts. Keep this in mind for your clients.
It is the most wonderful time of the year. But there just may be pain intertwined with that beauty.
Warmly,
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