Boxing Day: The Beginning of the Let-Down?

 

 

“This custom is linked to an older British tradition where the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families since they would have had to serve their masters on Christmas Day. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.” – Wikipedia

Some have had time off work, Gifts have been given (some already broken by now), family and friends may have gathered, and we are full up to the brim and some might have had a little too much cheer.  But, now may come a sense of letdown. 

Some have their kids off school and childcare becomes a problem for those who have to go back in to work.  Typically, mothers are worn out from pre-Christmas baking, buying, wrapping and generally a frenetic time pre-Christmas.  Some may be suffering from lack of sleep because suddenly Christmas was upon them.  Some may have letdown from traveling to and from.  Some may be emotionally worn out from caring too much for too many. Some may have health problems and it has caught up to them.    Some have had to visit one parent one place and another parent another place, or in-laws and family visits.  Some family members might find getting together rough.  Some may be estranged and missing them comes dropping into the midst of things.  Some mat be in the midst of grieving.  Maybe some were alone and their brave face is not working any more.  Some things just be plain old messy.  Some may feel that their Christmas expectations were not met.  There can be no end to what can lead to let downs. 

With the sense of “Letdown”, some of us may begin to feel more than let down.  Many may find that when a sense of let down comes, it comes with a foreboding sense of almost depression (for some, serious depression).  We tend to turn let downs in on ourselves.  This poem, by Cliff Nielsen, is here to encourage you to find rest NOT depression. 

“The fact that you’re

struggling doesn’t make

you a burden.

It doesn’t make you

unloveable or undesirable

or undeserving of care.

It doesn’t make you too

much or too sensitive

or too needy.

It makes you human.

Everyone struggles.

Everyone has a difficult

time coping, and at times,

we all fall apart.

During these times,

we aren’t always easy to

be around, and that’s okay.

No one is easy to be around

one hundred percent of

the time.

Yes, you may sometimes

be unpleasant or difficult.

And yes, you may sometimes

do or say things that make

the people around you feel

helpless or sad.

But those things aren’t

all of who you are and

they certainly don’t

discount your worth

as a human being.

The truth is that you can

be struggling and still be

loved.

You can be difficult

and still be cared for.

You can be less than perfect,

and still be deserving of

compassion and kindness."

 

Cliff Nielsen, Ethereal Dreams

Hang on to some of the Joy.  Hang on to love that has covered you.  Hang on to Hope.  Hang on to Faith of some kind.  It is there.  Find it!

We are here and I am on messenger off and on all day, every day.  If you need just to talk, to unload, to be encouraged, I am here, putting away boxes.

©Carol Desjarlais 12.26.22