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| Streets are decorated for Christmas! |
This is the time of the year when people get depressed. Worrying seems to affect
most people and the holidays seem to make it more difficult. I have
lived through times like that myself. Looking at some of my old
journals, I see where I wrote about families everywhere enjoying a
Thanksgiving dinner and we did not have enough money to buy anything.
Just the canned foods that I had grown in my garden. If you are so
far behind on all your credit bills that all the money coming in goes to
them, you have none left over for living expenses. Now I do not have
those problems. I am by no means rich or even well off, but I am
comfortable where and how I live now. The difference is that I am
in charge of my money and what I do with it. I didn’t even have a
grocery budget! Now I do. I remember when I read about what to do to
cut expenses. I would say to myself, "I already did that a long
time ago.”
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| My vintage Christmas decorations are old! |
Instead
of dreading the holidays, I embrace them. I decorate my apartment
for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. I do not
have to spend much money as most of my decorations I already had. I can make special foods and share
with my neighbors, my son and my boyfriend. Nothing has to be
expensive or time consuming. Just little things shared with loved
ones can be the most meaningful. For Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day though, you do not have to spend money. That is the marketing strategy behind the commercialism of the holidays. When I was a child growing up, my parents did not spend a lot on decorations or our presents. Many years later after we had grown up and had our own children, I saw my parents go overboard on buying presents for their grandchildren. It was wasted money as far as I was concerned. Children having so many presents that they don't know which one to play with first is crazy.
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| Make a nice dinner even if alone! |
If
you are sad or alone on the holidays, I know it can be a hard time
for you. Maybe you can reach out to someone who needs a friend during
the holidays too. Have a potluck dinner with several people who are
alone on those days. Last year, I did not know what to expect having
just moved here. I am so blessed by the other people who also live in
my building. For the most part, they are very caring and loving
people. Also the city I live in has churches and
organizations providing holiday dinners and socialization for the
less fortunate. Not just financially, but people who are alone for
one reason or another.
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| Christmas tree from the thrift store! |
No
matter what you are worried about, it will eventually pass. I know this because I thought my worries were the kind that would be with me for
the rest of my life. I did reach that light at the end of the tunnel.
I call it the tunnel of worry. Of course, to do so, you most likely
have to make changes in whatever is causing you to worry and be
depressed. Losing the people you love, even years ago, will haunt you at the holidays. It just does because they are no longer here with you. Instead of becoming depressed about your loss, think about their value to your life. Think about the good memories you shared with them. Think about how much they meant to you without becoming depressed about it. Since I enjoy writing, I like to write in my journal about things we did together. My memories of them. Things they said to me. Places we went together. Our happy times. Not my memories of them in a hospital bed. If that is all you picture in your mind then it is no wonder you are so depressed.
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| Make your holidays special for YOU! |
Copyright © 2019 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2019 Kathleen G. Lupole
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