Christmas
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Merry Christmas
“We expect too much at Christmas. It’s got to be magical. It’s got to go right. Feasting. Fun. The perfect present. All that anticipation. Let’s take it easy. Love’s the thing. The rest is tinsel.” —Pam Brown If we’re truly honoring Christmas, let’s act on its core message throughout the new year. We can start by living each day with more kindness, less confrontation. More compassion, less arrogance. More civility, less hostility. More humility, less egotism. More honesty, less deception. More empathy, less criticism. More love, less hate. We could lead by example — and imagine what a gift it would be if everyone conspired to do the same. On another…
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Peace, comfort, and contagion
“Rest feels like every cell is thanking you for taking care of you. It’s calm, not full of checklists and chores.” ~Jennifer Williamson I can’t think of anything more demoralizing than being sick during the holidays. Thanks to the rampant and highly contagious Influenza A, I’ve spent the past couple of days in bed, hooked on Mucinex, Tylenol, and chicken soup. Sadly, I’ve had to cancel some plans. This mutant flu bug hit me so hard on the weekend that I wondered, at one point, if I should be hospitalized. Thankfully, we finished our Christmas wrapping and shopping last week. So, I wish I could tell you that I’m resting…
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The gift of your attention
“Nothing you can give will ever be more appreciated than your sincere, focused attention—your full presence. Truly being with someone, and listening without anticipation of the next event or what you’ll say next, is the ultimate compliment.” ~Marc Chernoff, Marc & Angel Hack Life As Christmas draws closer, I’m usually overwhelmed by holiday stress. Every morning, I wake up with a chorus of elves reciting a “to-do” list in my head: When are you going to finish your Christmas cards? What will you bring to the Christmas Eve party? What else do you need for the Christmas morning brunch you’re hosting? Have you overlooked anyone on your gift list? That’s…
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How to manage holiday grief and loss
“The holiest of all holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart; the secret anniversaries of the heart.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow If you’re grieving a loss, holiday festivities can feel especially painful and challenging. Today I’m reposting a previously published feature story I wrote for The Sunday Oakland Press on how to manage holiday grief and loss. EMPTY CHAIRS AT CHRISTMAS, by Cindy La Ferle for The Sunday Oakland Press My mother died three months before Christmas eight years ago. Since my father had passed several years earlier, my first Christmas season without Mom left me feeling orphaned and unmoored. Regardless, I stuffed my sadness and dutifully managed…
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Help for the holidays
“One of the most important ways to reduce stress is to ask for help. This works not only during the holidays, but also all year ’round.” – Dr. Daisy Sutherland Lately I’ve been noticing more articles on the topic of why some folks secretly dread the holiday season — even though it’s supposed to be a time of comfort, joy, and celebration. Ironically, rates of depression typically rise between Thanksgiving and December 31st, with many people reporting feelings of sadness. For others, the holidays simply add another layer of stress and busy-ness. Some of us have trouble saying “no” when it comes to stuffing every moment in December with nonstop activity.…
