Peace & Joy

During today's Pack Period you had the chance to talk about holidays, winter break, and the pressure for perfection that is woven into subtle messaging all around us.  My hope is that as your class talked about the perfect images, you realized that this is NOT how holidays actually are for people.

Instead, holidays are often times with added stress, too much to do, too many people's opinions and conflicting desires, messes that need to be cleaned, food that needs to be cooked, traffic, forced smiles, and more.

I can remember so many times in my own life when the holidays might have been good, but they still had their share of stress!

- Parents yelling.

- SO MANY dishes to wash by hand.

- Getting a new game that I was so excited about and no one in my family being willing to play it with me.

- Grandparents big dog finding a way onto the counter to eat the pies my mom had made.

- The stern conversations about the fact that we would all smile and cooperate for the photos so that they would be done faster.

- Driving to my grandparents house with luggage filling the space beneath our feet and my sister and I bickering in the back-seat about who was on the other's side of the car or if we were touching one another or not.

- Super late nights spent wrapping gifts before a ridiculously early time to wake up and open the gifts.

I say all of that not to say that my holidays have ever been BAD, but they were never PERFECT.  And so, if I were to go into the holidays expecting or even hoping for this year to be the year it was different and that things would turn out the way I wanted it to go, I would end up disappointed.  Keeping a realistic view on the holidays can help negate some of the stress and disappointment.

So my hope for all of you is that over the 2 weeks when we are off, you will find yourself filled with more moments of peace and joy.  That you can find the peace within yourself to manage the difficult moments that happen around you.  That you will embrace those good moments when they happen and allow that joy to be your focus more than the disappointments or frustrations.  And that you will remember that even when it is all crappy and falling apart (which could happen), that you still have steps you can take to take care of YOU!  So don't hesitate to come up with a plan about what you can do for you to give you something to look forward to, to help manage the difficulties when they arise, and to keep a realistic perspective that nothing is going to be perfect and that is normal and fine too.

Also, as was addressed today in the Pack Period, if you or anyone you love is struggling this holiday break, don't forget that there is ALWAYS help available - you can call or text 988 any time to be connected with a crisis counselor.