Facing Our Journey

As we navigate this holiday season—a time traditionally filled with joy, laughter, and celebration—I want to take a moment to acknowledge those for whom this season feels anything but merry or happy.

For some, this is the first holiday season without their loved one at the dinner table, that morning phone call or leading family prayers. For others, it’s a time overshadowed by illness, financial hardship, or the weight of an uncertain future. The empty chair, the missing voice, the mounting pressures—these are hard realities that can make this time of year incredibly challenging.

I remember the first Thanksgiving and Christmas without my parents. In 2012 and 2022, I experienced these “firsts,” and they were among the hardest moments of my life. Well-meaning group messages with cheerful greetings like “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” often felt like salt in a wound. I knew the intentions were good, but in those moments, joy felt so far away. It was a painful reminder of what I had lost.

This experience taught me something important: We must learn to be more sensitive to those around us. While we cannot know what everyone is going through, we can choose to be more mindful, more intentional, and more compassionate.

There are many struggling this season—people facing grief, illness, financial instability, and even thoughts of giving up. Life is filled with its share of hardships and heartbreaks. Some are navigating chronic stress, like I am, which takes a toll not just on the mind but also on the body. It’s a silent battle that many are quietly fighting.

So what can we do? How can we make this season a little lighter for someone else?

Here are a few simple suggestions:

1. Practice Sensitivity: Before sending out mass holiday greetings, consider who’s on the receiving end. If someone has experienced loss or hardship, reach out personally and offer a word of encouragement.
2. Pay it Forward: A small act of kindness—paying for someone’s groceries, donating to a family in need, or even offering a smile—can go a long way.
3. Pray or Offer Support: Start a prayer chain, check in on a friend, or lend a listening ear. Your presence can be a gift.
4. Be Mindful of Group Chats: Avoid adding people to group messages without their consent, especially if they may not know others in the group. Be considerate of how overwhelming those notifications can feel.

Let us remember that for some, the holidays are not merry or happy. And while we cannot take away their pain, we can show empathy, extend kindness, and remind them that they are not alone.

As Galatians 6:2 reminds us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

This season, let us strive to sow seeds of compassion and love. As the saying goes, we truly reap what we sow. Together, we can create a little more light in a world that deeply needs it.