Compassion Magazine Winter 2022

Winter 2022 - Compassion | www.tcf.org.uk 26 Christmas Thoughts And so it has arrived again. The winter, the festivities that come with it, the hustle and bustle that accompanies this time of year; and all I want to do is hide under a duvet. You too? Yes, I thought so. While the rest of the world appears to be getting ready for ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ we are bracing ourselves for the grief triggers to hit us and developing our coping strategies. What is it for you? I've ordered more wool than is seemly and will be knee deep in crochet projects for the duration. The most common advice we hear is ‘Be kind to yourself. Do what feels right for you’. This, on the face of it, sounds like good advice, but how do you balance the conflicting needs and expectations of your family and friends with your own at such a complicated time of year? Or do you just escape? Is there any escape? Of course there is no escape, is there. All we can do is navigate it as best we can. Do you accept that kindly meant invitation? Do you make a polite excuse and decline? Do you satisfy the needs of those around you at the cost of your own? Do you stick to old traditions or do you do it completely differently? Cards or no cards? How do you sign them? Do you include your child's name or not? The perplexities are endless and sorry, but this next paragraph doesn't contain the answers to those questions. We all do it differently and we may change our minds from year to year. One year, you may feel more robust and find that you can cook a big meal and have a family day of sorts. Another year you may not be able to face it and retreat to your own space for a while. It is, quite literally, a movable feast.