THIS December, I wish everyone the gift of a chill pill.
This is easy to say, but a lot harder to apply. Because we are in the season of festivity and celebration, everyone and their pet dog is out to put their best foot forward. I guess it’s an innate nature of ours to want to throw the best parties in the block so that it gets talked about for the entire year—until Christmas season comes into swing again. It’s ironic to see people (even me) stressed out to the max during a time when we are supposed to be the happiest. We worry about our Christmas bonus not being enough for the gifts we need to buy our godchildren (hello, #adulting) and workmates. We worry about binge eating to the point that Santa Claus might be out of a job as the jolly fat guy this season. We worry about relatives coming over for the holidays—that we need to show them we actually have our life together and are happy and fulfilled.
Let’s not even talk about New Years. It’s a recurring meme around the Internet that each of us feels unfulfilled come New Year’s time because of all the plans we shucked away or didn’t even bother to start. We’re all laughing on the outside but probably weeping in existentialism on the inside. And as we make plans for next year, we are firmly confident that we will get those done—when we’re finished with our 2016, 2017 and 2018 plans.
Yeah, I’d like that chill pill with a venti cold brew right now, thanks.
Kidding aside, there’s always a certain amount of anxiety when we have these big celebrations because we are often confronted with our less-than-ideal situations and freak out about how expectation most definitely does not conform to reality. Then the question we should ask ourselves, as in the immortal movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” is “Is it necessary?” Sure, everything during the year may not have turned out 100 percent (what plan ever really does?), but is it worth robbing you of the joy of seeing loved ones and enjoying each other”s company? Your credit card bill may be crying out for help at this time, but if you manage your finances well, isn’t a little extra spending worth it to see your godchild’s face light up with joy when you give him/her something?
This season, let’s be mindful of these moments. Don’t get lost in the trees (the parties, preparations) that we lose sight of the forest (the people in the parties). Trust me, these things can blur by, and we will be poorer for not savoring each moment as best as we can.
So relax, give each other the gift of our total presence and attention. Drink it in, man. The season, I mean.