I have been posting my twelve days of Christmas according to a spoonie on my instagram page. For this late post on Christmas Eve I am sharing those posts here.
I looove stars. As a teenager, I would sit backwards on the seat of the car. With my back resting on the dash I could see the whole sky. When my boyfriend (now hubby) drove out on the highway. I wouldn’t do that now. But I still love getting out of the city and away from the lights to see the starlit sky. This eve marks the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. On this night we remember the star that heralded his birth. HE brings me more peace than all the other remedies combined. He is my High Priest of Good Things to Come. Whatever your faith. Whatever you celebrate, I with you the happiest of holidays. What is the most important part of Christmas for you? Family? The meal? Gift giving? That is what we chronic comrades should focus on this year. The most important part for each of us, whatever that may be. We don’t get to take it all in and do it all the way we’d choose. But we can focus on one thing that is most important. Enjoy that with all your hearts. Chronic comrades find ourselves explaining our choices often. Why we don’t work. Why we can’t try that exercise program. Why we can’t stand for long. You don’t have to give a fully prepared defense in response to every situation. When you have to decline an offer or invitation, often ‘No’ is all you have to say. Explanations are not mandatory. I love Christmas movies. There’s so many new fun ones out there. But my favourites are the classics. White Christmas. Holiday Inn. Miracle on 34th Street. It’s a Wonderful Life. When I need a break from the chaos around me I will spend time in these heartwarming tales. We chronic comrades know that there are times we just have to rest. This can be terribly annoying when there are so many more fun things out there. And it seems like everyone else is out there enjoying themselves. You are not alone. There are others of us who just need to lay down and watch an old Christmas movie. When I only eat the foods that don’t bother me, I have a very limited diet. My chronic comrades will understand. It can feel like we are missing out on comfort foods especially at this time of year. Find other things that bring you comfort. Like cozy sweaters! Or fuzzy blankets. Or the perfect smelling candle or diffuser blend. Or forest therapy! There are many things that can bring us comfort. Find yours. This life presents us with different seasons of life. We can accept them and find peace or fight against them and find struggle. For my chronic comrades this is a season of rest. Not your season to impress. Your home and meal should look different from others’. So don’t compare to those in a different season. Use some of your movement time to get outside and breathe some fresh air for your forest therapy. But be careful in Saskatoon, I fell on the ice and now I am Humpty Dumpty. Waiting for someone to put me together again. Music sets a mood. What mood do you want for your day? I have multiple Christmas playlists. A joyful Christmas. A playful Christmas. A traditional Christmas. Don’t say you aren’t a Christmas music person until you have tried more than Mariah and Justin. When you take time out to rest chronic comrades, put on something relaxing. It will help to settle any upset nerves. Enjoy your down time. Don’t sit there worrying about what isn’t getting done. I’ll share with you my favourite mantra for when things are going sideways. {{maybe things are going perfectly}} Maybe it doesn’t matter if we forgot to make the mashed potatoes. Or if the dog gets into the turkey. Or dinner is going to be two hours late. Sit down, choose some calming music and breathe. Sing it with me and the gospel choir. Just go lie down. When your body needs something, listen to it. Take care of your body and it will take care of you. It’s like preparing for a marathon if you have multiple gatherings. Stay hydrated. Make sure and be well rested. Eat nourishing foods. And when your body says it’s time to stop. Listen! I think of big family dinners with my Grandma McDonald. She knew how to do it all. Perhaps it’s just my young mind not remembering correctly but I recall Grandma enjoying it all. She never sat down until it was all over and cleaned up. And she still had energy left to watch a show or sing a song. I would love to be the woman who can do it all. And still have energy left over. But I am not. So as a reminder to me and my chronic comrades. Just go lie down when your body needs that. I love the image of a perfectly clean living room with only the tree to light it on Christmas morning. All the gifts under the tree would be perfectly wrapped. The meal on standby. Way too many treats and the baking that I will finally allow my family to start eating. Family preparing to spend the day together for fun and visiting. This will not all be my reality this year. But there will be another reality that will be perfect for me. IF I choose to see it that way. If you also love all the parts of that Christmas morning image, choose one or two parts you can manage. Do not wear yourself out trying to do it all. My chronic comrades, I hope you have loving people around you. They would rather have you in one piece than a clean house and perfectly crafted meal. Take time for what heals you so you can take care of others. Choose your time out and about wisely my chronic comrades. I give you permission to pick the most important and leave out the rest. Attend the gatherings that lift you up. You have enough that drags you down. Spend time with your most uplifting friends. Maybe you can get a group together for some forest therapy to deal with the stress of the holidays. I have never been good at hugging. I didn’t think it was in my DNA. Brent says I hug like a tree. But I am learning how important it is to hug the ones we love. There is something about getting heart to heart that promotes a deeper love and compassion. My chronic comrades, let’s thrive through this Christmas season. Take some time to get heart to heart with the ones who lift you up. Step outside for some forest therapy. Even if it’s just for a moment in the middle of a gathering, breathe the crisp air.Spoonies. When you know, you know. Forest therapy can help my chronic comrades. If you’d like to learn more about what it means to be a spoonie. Or how to use forest therapy check out my other posts.
SUNBEAM ACRES 