For those of you who hate Christmas – ignore it, do your own thing, take pleasure in what you haven’t had time to do this year

For those of you who love Christmas – max out – go full carol, Christmas pud, crackers, no apologies

For those of you who feel lonely – we all do, for at least a moment, take solace in nature, get out, for a walk, notice the birds, the trees, the sky, the earth that is always with you under your feet and the air that is always filling your lungs. Remember you are part of the web of life, you breathe out what the trees need, and they breathe out what you need. You are connected

For those of you who are bereaved – cry. Don’t pretend that you are OK, the beloved is worthy of grief. Set a place, name them, let yourself sink, ask for hugs, reach out, go outside, find a tree, the grass, touch it, breathe

For those of you who are divorced, separated, apart – it isn’t going to be the same, phone them if you want, write to them. Allow the sadness, there might be relief. Allow it all. Ask yourself what you want to do, how you want to do it. Remember who you were before. Imagine who you are becoming next.

For those of you who are overwhelmed – take a moment, step outside, inhale your shoulders up around your ears, exhale them back and down. ‘This body is noticing’…what is it noticing? List it. Right now my body is noticing I have a runny nose, this body is noticing the clock ticking, this body is noticing I am hungry…Come home to yourself. Ask for help, delegate, ditch stuff.

For those of you who are ill – be gentle with yourself, rest, allow others to tend to you, take medicines, herbs, ask for shoulder rubs, have a hot bath, sleep, eat if you can, drink warm water

For those of you in conflict – take breaks, get outside, let things slide, or stand your ground, look after yourself. Ask for help. Phone or message people for support, watch comedy, find things that bring you together if only for a short while. (Call the police if needed.)

For those of you having your first Christmas together – enjoy, laugh, explore each other’s rituals and expectations, set up your own rituals, how do you want to do this day? What does it mean to you?

For those of you with small children – they will eat too much of the wrong stuff and probably at some point there will be tears, and they could be yours. They don’t need to open all their presents at once. Stagger them over hours, days. There is no rush. Savour. Rest. Hug.

For those of you with elders – savour this time. Breathe through irritations. Listen. Ask. Rant to friends. Forgive them, you, life. Celebrate them, you, life.

For those of you struggling for money – don’t beat yourself up for what you haven’t got, what the kids didn’t get. They just need you. Have a rant, to a person, on paper about all you feel bitter and aggrieved about then stop. Play the appreciation game. What do you appreciate? Focus on what is here, what you have, we often take so much for granted; water from taps that we can drink. (And it is hard to be worrying about money so in the NY google, find support, learn more about money – I didn’t even understand compound interest until my 40s).

For all of us, remember, this is just one day.

Remember we are mammals. Our energy is low. We want to sleep more, hibernate, rest. Journal, meditate, reflect, make music. Do it. We want to eat more, it’s OK to do it and adjust to less as the light returns to the sky.

Remember this is midwinter, get outside, let the dull grey do its best to bring light. Then light a candle in the dark. Be warm. Rest.

Remember this is the time for dreaming, imagining, wishing, planting seeds that will germinate in spring if the conditions are right. Create. Sing, write, play the piano, the guitar, dance, paint…there are no rules, you can make them up

Remember to be.

Be with people. Be with animals. Be with yourself. Be still. Notice your place in the web of life, the turn of the seasons, the turn of the stages of life, winter, spring, autumn, winter. The eternal turn and change. Treasure this moment, this one right here not matter what the feeling. There is room for it all. It will all pass. Everything does. Be here now, and now and now.

Love

Julie

 

 

Farmotherlands is my award winning collection of poems about nature, farming, community and family. You can buy a copy here.

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Thanks for being here.
Julie

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