You know how it is. The Holiday season brings out the best in all of
us. We all become solicitous of one anothers feelings; everyone
develops more tolerance for one anothers foibles; there is plenty of
time for everything that needs to be done; traffic is usually light; the
other folks always patiently wait their turn. Isnt that right?
Now, dont you look at me like that! What do you mean, What planet
am I from? In fact, I think you had better stop looking at me like
that right now or Ill give you a bit fat knuckle sandwich! You know
what if you dont like what Im saying about the holiday season, you
can just leave right now, and dont let the door hit you in your big fat
umm, well, and okay Ill admit that I may have overreacted a bit.
Again.
Hey, I tried. I did my best, but I bet you find the season as trying as I
do. Ill admit it; Im one of those people who find the holidays
inordinately stressful. Can I go home and bury my head in that comfy
quilt now? Hide from my children, and my guests, and the in-laws,
and No? You mean that well have to get through this together?
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Then I suppose well need some coping mechanisms, which is a high
fallutin psycho-babble way to say, how not to go psycho and kill folks
that we generally care about most of the time. Yes, this year well
probably need ways to maintain our sanity, most of our dignity, and
maybe even a bit of the joy that we are supposed to be taking from
this time of the season.
I know, I know, there is no way in the world that were going to
manage to do this! Weve tried to manage this before and it never
seems to work out like wed planned for it to. There is NO way that
this season is going to be any different than all of the others, or is
there? Might there be a way to get through the season without
mayhem?