Well, it’s that time of year again. Seems like whether we are ready for it or not, decorating the house, fixing special food, attending parties, purchasing gifts, and in general, expending a lot of energy is upon us when we’d much rather stay home hunkered down in our blankies and in our footie pajamas!
These things are daunting for the healthy but for the chronically ill, we often wish we could “quit Christmas,” and we find ourselves more in the company of Scrooge than with angels. How are we going to do it? How can we keep things rolling when we feel more like dying than living?
Let me propose something. Let’s look at this season perhaps a little differently this year.
How about we meditate on some words that might help us refocus our limited energy and finances.
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
― Charles Dickens
“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”
― Bob Hope
“Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.”
― Steve Maraboli
“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ”
― Mary Ellen Chase
Did you notice that the word “presents” wasn’t even mentioned once? The resounding theme is an attitude of the heart. Honoring, loving, forgiving, feeding, welcoming, and clothing are the verbs used here.
Now it is true that often in order to feed and clothe, we must move physically. Perhaps you don’t have the energy for that this year. Forgive yourself. Seriously. Forgive yourself. Someone else is going to have to that for you this year. It’s OK. But, you can love, you can honor, and you can forgive – all from your bed if need be.
I once had a powerful conversation with my old retired doc. He said something I’ve never forgotten. He said, “When I worked the mental wards, nearly all of them had an issue with forgiveness.” Since this conversation, I’ve read, thought, and pondered how important it is to forgive. It definitely has a role in your healing. Forgiving is probably the best present we can give – to ourselves. Forgiveness does not require you to become best friends with the person who hurt you, it only requires that you drop the grudge. Instead of repeating the inner mantra you’ve had going – replace it with – I forgive them. Boulders will be lifted from your shoulders. It’s a choice though, and no one can make it but you.
Our next support meeting will be Sat. Jan 31 from 2-4 at the Pinney Library in Madison again. Hope to see you all there! I also hope those at our last meeting have sought out treatment. I look forward to hearing all of your progress.
Until then:
“No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That’s the only way to keep the roads clear.”
― Greg Kincaid
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 