As I sit and write about Christmas it is a subject that feels raw. I so desperately want to be excited, to look forward to spending time with family, time with my horses, time off work, but it’s filled with emotion, triggers and a feeling of numbness that I can’t seem to shake.
In an attempt to get into the Christmas spirit I started shopping in the Black Friday Deals (this is unheard of), planned Christmas Day with my Dad in Scotland (another first), invited my brother and his family to stay for a few days in between Christmas and New Year, the Christmas songs have been playing, and the decorations are up.
On the outside it looks festive and tinsel topped, but on the inside it’s not feeling so great.
When we said a very sad goodbye to my Mum in August this year I hadn’t even given key future events a thought and now Christmas looms I feel robbed, overwhelmed and unable to find the joy in Christmas that I crave.
And I’m certainly not on my own.
In the waves of emotion I feel guilty for my feelings as I watch amazingly inspirational people like Emma Webb on her challenge walking from South Wales to London in memory of her beloved daughter Brodie – lost at just 16 to suicide – a broken Mum who will never feel complete again and yet doing so much good for others.
When you look around it’s so true that you never know what is going on behind closed doors. You don’t always know how people feel and sometimes they don’t even know, or want to acknowledge how they feel themselves. Sometimes its easier to buy the presents, write the cards and ignore the Christmas songs on the radio.
So this Christmas, in the midst of the welcome joy and festive spirit, why not take a second to consider doing a small act of kindness, and not just those friends who have lost someone, those who are dealing with losing someone imminently, or those in unhappy or challenging situations – but also for those who seem like they have their sh1t together because they might appreciate it more than you think.
Your kindness doesn’t need to be expensive or time consuming – a thoughtful text goes a long way to saying, ‘I’m thinking of you’, a stable mucked out is a welcome surprise, a hand written message in a card will make someone smile.
It’s not a plea for sympathy – far from it, just a reminder that we all have ups, we all have downs, but the power of kindness and virtual hugs go so much further than you might realise.
One kind word can’t change the world, but one kind word can change someone’s world.
