Tuesday; December 29

In a normal year, I would probably be encouraging you to relax, take some time away from the people around you and relax. Typically, the holidays are filled with the stress of appointments and visitors, but this year, we are craving those things. We wish we could enjoy those family gatherings and office parties; but the reality is that we are probably still several weeks (if not months) away from larger gatherings. So, as we approach those cold, dark days of winter without the ability to interact the way we would like, how do we maintain our connections and overcome our loneliness?
1. Keep continued contact with people. If you feel comfortable with small socially distant interactions, take advantage of them. Rather than hosting a huge weekly gathering, spend a few minutes every so often visiting with people. Again, it doesn’t have to be a long time, but even a couple minutes spent interacting with living, breathing people can have a positive effect on us.
2. Write letters. Letter-writing is becoming a lost art; but there is something cathartic about pen and paper. Yes, it will probably require buying some stamps and going to the post office, but the investment is worth the effort. (By the way, try practicing your cursive writing – it might do you some good.)
3. Renew old connections. Most of us are probably getting pretty tired of seeing the same old people day in and day out. We love them, but we could probably benefit from a fresh perspective. When was the last time you visited with your college roommate, the best man or maid of honor from your wedding, your old baseball coach or scout leader? We have all been influenced by multiple people, let’s not forget them during these times of distancing, quarantines and lockdowns.
A common theme this holiday season is that light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s maintain our hope, but until we see actual evidence of improvement, let’s make sure we take care of ourselves and others.

Think About It! 

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