I talked to a friend yesterday who just isn’t feeling the holidays this year. She’s had a difficult year, and the holidays are proving to be stressful and draining to her already. I listened to her for a long time, and was glad to be there for her. When she looked at me and said, “You know what I mean?”, I said, “Yes. I do. And you don’t have to do the holidays this year. You’re an adult. You can choose.” She burst into tears, not out of sadness but out of relief. She hadn’t thought of the option of opting out. And she felt better. A little lighter.
This is an option open to everyone. Do whatever you need to do to feel lighter. You can feel whatever you want to feel and do whatever you want to do—holidays or no holidays, for every reason or for no reason. And if, like my sweet friend, you need someone to just listen for a while, I’m here. I’m all ears.
Christa Avampato 