A little perspective this holiday...

Seasons Greetings to all!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chrismukkah, some other combination of the three, or neither, I wish you the best for the holiday and hope that 2013 brings many good things your way!

While the holidays are a time to be with those you hold most dear, sometimes this is much better in theory than in practice! I love my family dearly and I consider us very close and loving as far as families are concerned, but even I have to admit that the holidays can be a bit stressful. When you're with a group of people that know you inside and out, it's almost a guarantee that they know how to push your buttons and get a little rise out of you. Not that families necessarily do this to one another intentionally... but I believe we're at our most vulnerable when we're around those who know our flaws and shortcomings as well as they know and appreciate our best qualities.
I bring this up only to say that while I think I've grown and matured and am becoming the woman that I want to be, I still find that I digress back into my 'little girl' trendencies when I am home at my parents' house. I may be able to handle living in NYC, hold down a full-time job that is its own source of stress (and gratification), and pay all my bills to be more or less independent, but that doesn't mean that some of that wherewithal doesn't fly out the window when I come back to small-town Maine! For me, coming home often means confronting past feelings and peeling back the bandage on old wounds that never quite healed. I may have run away to NYC, but I realize when I come home that certain feelings and issues didn't run away at all!

They say that acceptance is the first step towards healing, and I think that old adage is perfectly suited to this kind of situation. It's true: you can't choose your family! But, luckily, you can choose how to relate to them and how you let them make you feel. After many years, I have learned to accept my family for who they are. Moreso, I've learned that I am in control of my own reactions and what I will and will not let slide. That has been extremely liberating, and has shown me another pillar of my inner strength.

So, go on, dear readers, and celebrate your inner strength and the ups and downs that have brought you to where you are right now. Enjoy the moment, relish in the journey, and keep on striving to learn and grow in 2013. Cheers to that! xoxo