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The sentiment on the plate in the photo above is one on which
the vast majority seems to focus. It is a time of worship, friends and family,
lights, songs, festivity, giggling and excited children, when the world is a
glittering wonder.
But…what if it isn’t?
I don’t know the statistics, but based upon my own observations, my guess is
that this is the month of the year where sufferers of depression feel that low
more acutely than in any other. This is the time of the year when you are
reminded not only of what you have, but what you have lost, and the importance
of what you’ve lost. It’s an annual reminder that you are never again going to
taste the deliciousness that was your mother’s annual Christmas brunch. You are
never again going to sit in front of the fireplace in your footed pajamas
cracking walnuts with your dad. You will never again be invited to share in the
Hanukkah celebration of dear friends. The late Mr. O-P and I used to socialize
with two other couples about whom we felt most dear. Of those six people, I am
the only one left. This month, more than ever, we miss the friends who are no
longer around to celebrate or console us.
When you go forth with your holiday baking, shopping, decorating, or getting
lost in your perusals of Pinterest and Instagram, keep the people who may be
suffering in mind. Even the tiniest gesture or kind word can make a big
difference in how they get through this most significant of all months. Don’t
just think about it, do it now. Send an email, send a text, make a phone call,
send a card. You can make a big difference in someone’s day. You may even save
a life.
Pattie
