Holidays and depression

This can be a very hard time of the year for people like us suffering from that black cloud of depression.

I think that we should try to focus very hard on the true meaning of Christmas and any thing possitive that we can think of even though I know that is hard.  But it will help all of us through this very difficult time.

I try to think of the little things that I can be thankful for even it it is just making it through one day.  Take things one day at a time and don't worry about the things that you can't do.

Sometimes we can't give with material things so even just a nice hug can make somebody feel better.  With all the negative things we go through there is a little good somewhere so try to find that and focus on it. 

Take walks, if you can.  Just the sun shining on our face or backs can feel so good.  Check out nature in a nearby park if you can.  Or try to bring up good memories of something in the past.

If you can, donate some time at a soup kitchen or at your local church.  There are always some community events that could use a little help.

I think that the main thing is to get your minds off of our own problems and focus on something good.  Do something good for somebody, do something good for yourself, even a nice relaxing bath can be good.

I hope this brings some kind of joy to you all, even if it is just a little.  This is a time for happiness though I know with all the commercialism it is hard, it can be done.

I wish all of you a joyous holiday season with peace and comfort.

hugs,

getting by

Getting by, This is a wonderful post you have put up here.  The suggestions are great and down to earth.  It's funny because I have been stressed about Christmas...I hate shopping when everyone on the earth is at the mall and I am a last minute shopper to boot.  Today in Mass the Priest said that there is so much noise going on around all of us all of the time we never make any time for silence.  Just time to be quite and let your mind settle, not to stress, no tv, no radio, just your heart leading your mind. 

See Floppington is already ahead of me here...   So for once my New Year resolution will not be to lose weight but to give myself that quite time everyday.  Hopefully, I will find my way back.

Always~

Thanks for this beautiful post everyone.

Gettingby, I started to write back on the other thread to you and Gill, but remembered your post here and so wanted to share soemthing from my evening here.

Hubby and I just finished watching The Nativity Story movie. You know what struck me? When it came to teh birth of the Messiah - the original intent of celebrating "Christmas" -the One we celebrate was born without money or festivity, laid in a manger in cloths. And His whole life speaks about coming for the poor. Kind of ironic that we feel so much pressure to make something that is for the "poor" in each of us into something that demands us to be "rich" externally so to speak. Don't know if that is coming out right. But really it's all about recieving in our heart what can make us rich and giving out of that - giving love - and if it takes the form of presents and feasts - that's great. But Karen, like you said, it can also take the form of giving a hug or feeding the hungry. So if the original "Christmas" day was so simple, and was an event that brought hope to the poorest of the poor, why the pressure to do it up? By it's very nature it's all about the spirit of our giving more than the form it takes...if we get stuck in tradition, we can miss the essence of things - kind of like following the law but missing the heart of the matter. Of course, feasts and gift giving can flow out of love too - I just think we are each different and we can honor the expression of love and life we each have - however it may look.

I have a little story to share. It won't be as eloquent as The NIght Before Christmas, but I hope it will be a wee interesting at least. Hubby and I first watched The Nativity Storyt last year after a season of living in hotels, staying with friends, moving across the country, staying with more friends, etc. etc. and finally having a roof over our head with our own address that felt like home for a time. And watching the journey Mary and Joseph went through in the movie was something we identified with due to our intense travel toward our own destination - as was theirs toward Bethlehem. Actually, it's kind of interesting because when we were homeless and driving from city to city to try to find affordable rent, we met a real estate agent who was showing us a cabin for rent. She said when we drove up, she told her co-worker "Look! Mary and Joseph!" It was winter and we had no place to stay, so I guess we were kind of looking for room at the inn. We didn't take the cabin - it was very unappealing. But this agent, though she had just met us, invited us to stay in her second house. So we spent the night in a beautiful place out of the cold. Her name was Nellie. God bless her. Talk about a spirit of giving. That quite touched us both!

Speaking of giving - I saw a video on the net about a church in California that is made of homeless people. And this church gives $200 a month to support a young lady who is serving as a missionary! Apparently, they gather bottles and take them to the recycling plant and give the money they get to the pastor each week to support the missionary. She had come and spoken to them at some point, and they took up an offering for her and that's how it all started. In the clip they interviewed some of the members. I was struck by what one man shared. He said "We have all we need. We are fed three meals a day. So we want to give to those who don't have as much as we do." I was touched. This just echoes what Mary was told in the Nativity Story by the sheperd: "We are all given a gift." We all have something to give.

Peace, Embers