Editor’s note: Susan Winston is a psychotherapist with practices in Great Barrington, Mass., and Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Chinese New Year (we celebrate them all and even include both Colombian Christmas on December 24 and Italian Christmasâalready over), it is that season again. For some, the joy of snuggling up with family, a warm fire and a mushy movie, and, if lucky, a pizza.
But for others, it is not such a great season. It may be filled with losses and feeling lost. It can be a lonely time, even if you are surrounded by people. It is freakin’ cold outside and you could do worse than to give your coat to someone who needs it. Buy another. This is the time of year so obstructed by the necessity of buying and getting. Turn it back to a time of giving. The extra jackets or sweaters, socks, gloves. Help those in our community and if they no longer need help, step outside the lines and help another community.
We are not only launching into a New Year but, trust me, also into a new world. Possibly an unworldly one. We need to hold onto one another to pull through all that is to come. No matter how you voted, remember that everyone should be respected for who they are, no matter what. And remember that no one can take the “you” out of you.
I do not make New Year’s resolutions. I only make a wish, and this year it is for a sense of calmness and dignity for all. Help your neighbor and, if you can believe this statement, sometimes help hide your neighbor. Yes, it is just like that other time. But we are stronger and more resilient, and together, we can help everyone keep it together.
Holidays can be sweet and tender, but they can also be bitter and tough. Keep your eyes open and see where you can be of help. My moniker in therapy is SHIFT HAPPENS. Life is messy but now is the time to jump in and help that shift towards better times.
