The Nurturing Well by: Jill Starbuck
When we think of the holidays this time of the year, we envision warm homes filled with laughter, good food, and loved ones. However, for some people the holidays just exacerbate their problems. They fail to see the joy when they are suffering on a daily basis.
While it may seem unfathomable that some people simply have no ability to enjoy the holidays, plenty of these situations exist. A bachelor with family spread across the nation may not have the means to travel to be with family during the holidays. Therefore, he sits at home by himself, pretending it’s just another day. An elderly woman sitting in a nursing home has lost all of her friends and is too immobile to travel to be with family. A patient with terminal cancer cannot take his mind off the fact that he may not be around for another holiday. A homeless woman walks aimlessly through town in search of a warm bed and food for the evening. For these people, the holidays seem more like torture than joy.
While we may not be able to fix some of these situations, most of us can do something to ease the pain that these people feel during the holidays. Ask the bachelor to come over and join your family for a holiday dinner. Don’t take no for an answer. Visit the elderly woman at the nursing home. Offer to buy the homeless woman a meal. Sit and listen to the cancer patient, who wants nothing more than to forget about his pain and fear.
With all of the hustle and bustle during the holidays, we can easily become consumed by all of the fuss it takes to plan our festivities. We are busy traveling, buying gifts, preparing food, and all of the other activities that it takes to enjoy the holidays. As a result, it’s easy to forget that there are others who are suffering in many ways, while we happily go about our lives.
Therefore, I challenge you to do something for a friend or stranger that will make their day—especially during the holidays when their suffering hits them harder. It will likely be the best gift you give to them and even to yourself. The feeling of gratitude and compassion will overwhelm you. For those of you who actually take on this challenge, I will take it one step further and challenge you to make this a holiday tradition.
Happy Holidays to all of you!
Jill Starbuck has 20 years of experience as a business writer, editor, and market research analyst. She is a certified health coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. She is also the co-owner of a running business. She can be reached at jillstarbuck@hotmail.com.
