I’ve been taking lots of social media breaks for my self care lately. I think we all crave genuine connection, and sometimes social media only makes us feel isolated, especially during difficult times.
This blessing has been on my heart to share for a little while. I know Christmas is hard for so many people, for so many reasons. It’s been hard for me too, this year.
Please, know you are loved and you are not alone. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to someone who cares. Or send me an email, I’ll gladly chat with you.
Sending love, hope and peace to you in this holiday season, my friends.
Art by me, posted on my art instagram account @staceychomiakart
Full text:
A blessing for when everything hurts at Christmas.
Oh, the fresh grief that comes with unwrapping old ornaments that mark now painful memories. I hope you can be tender with it.
May you find the soft shelter of friendship, as you feel the powerful sting of holiday traditions changing, evolving… ending.
I hope you have the strength to hold both the sadness & the joy of hearing your favorite Christmas songs. May your heart find new ways to dance to them.
May you see a glimmer of hope in a new tradition, like the flickering of a flame before it’s extinguished. I hope the warmth of that light stays and glows inside of you.
When things are too hard, or too much, may you sink deep within yourself and remember that you are your own solid base. You can return to yourself at any time.
When you least expect grief to hit you – in the mall, watching your favourite holiday movie, not getting that invite this year… May you validate the pain & breathe through it.
I hope you pay attention to all the small things, for you might find new surprises or new smiles where you least expect them. When that happens, pause, and breathe in the warmth.
I hope you take a minute to sit in the darkness with the Christmas tree lights softly dancing around the room. Even in the presence of loss or loneliness, may you feel a gentleness that says: repeat the sounding joy.
My friends, may you remember most of all: this season is about belief. I hope you always make the choice amid the hard, amid the change, amid the pain – to believe. Believe in hope. Believe in healing. Believe in you.
STACEY CHOMIAK 