Thanksgiving is two days away and for some this a welcome celebration and for others it is a stressful or depressing time. Whether you find yourself looking forward to this bountiful holiday, dreading the challenge of spending time with family or alone without family or friends, I want to tell you that you will survive! Holidays are a challenge for those of us from dysfunctional families. The pressure this time of year can bring can become unbearable. There are often expectations and challenges that leave us “just wanting to get it over with”.
Remember that this holiday was created in order to give us an opportunity to be thankful and grateful for all of the blessings and good things which the year has brought. A Norman Rockwell family is not necessary, thankfully, because most are far from it. If you are facing time with your family and you find that a blessing, you won’t understand this post. If you find yourself beginning to tense up at the thoughts of family togetherness, remember it won’t last forever and you can survive anything in limited amounts. If you are alone, reach out to friends or family or if you know someone who is alone, invite them to join you. Most of us would gladly offer to allow you to join us if we are cooking. There are also many churches planning or distributing meals. You may make a new friend or deepen an existing friendship by sharing this meal together.
Regardless of what your mental and emotional state going into this holiday, remember the profound words of Gloria Gaynor, “I will survive, hey, hey..”and get out and enjoy your day off if you have it. Thanksgiving is a state of mind, not just a day on the calendar. If you are working, I am sorry and hope you get another day off to celebrate but you can be thankful for having a job. Life is good even when it’s hard!
tobiemabesmith 