Depressed During The Holidays?

[Timothy]

So when ya feel yer elastic letting go hitch up yer panties and grab a safety pin, it's Christmas!

To me, it says; "When you start feeling yourself slip into a bummer day, cast out those types of thoughts, think of something fun or happy and stop being sad".

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I hate the commercialization of the holidays, where it seems the most important thing for many people is either "what did you get" or "how cheap you can get it." Before Thanksgiving I recall TV news stories where people spent many days camping in front of a retail store so they could get a flat panel TV for $100 or something like that. Some even had their Thanksgiving dinner brought to them by family, to be eaten out in the cold in front of the store. I'd rather spend the time visiting with family and friends, and forget the deals and the materialism.

I'm rather sad this year because I have no family and friends to spend it with. It's just me and my dog, and I'm cooking a couple turkey thighs and a yam. I'll be happy when it's the new year and we can get on with life and put the holidays behind. I hope next year I'll have somebody to cook for.

 

[Addie]

I hate the commercialization of the holidays, where it seems the most important thing for many people is either "what did you get" or "how cheap you can get it." Before Thanksgiving I recall TV news stories where people spent many days camping in front of a retail store so they could get a flat panel TV for $100 or something like that. Some even had their Thanksgiving dinner brought to them by family, to be eaten out in the cold in front of the store. I'd rather spend the time visiting with family and friends, and forget the deals and the materialism.

I'm rather sad this year because I have no family and friends to spend it with. It's just me and my dog, and I'm cooking a couple turkey thighs and a yam. I'll be happy when it's the new year and we can get on with life and put the holidays behind. I hope next year I'll have somebody to cook for.

I hope so also for you. But in the event you don't, head to the nearest place that is cooking for the homeless and less fortunate. Volunteer. I guarantee you will feel better.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I've considered some sort of volunteering but I'd rather do something not related to food, and not on Christmas Day. On Christmas I'd rather spend the day with family, even if my family is just me and my dog. (I may travel for Christmas next year, to be with family. Just didn't want to get into the travel thing this year.)

 

[Timothy]

Since I was a very small child, I've always been a happy person. After 59 years of life, I"ve run into my share of sadness and tragedy, but I accept it all as a natural part of life and try to counter each moment of sadness with a thought of something that makes me smile or laugh. I have thousands of happy moments to chose from, so it's never difficult to make myself start laughing.

A common statement when I was a kid was; "Tim? He's always cheerful. That kid is always laughing about something!"

I'm a very emotional person. When I see a person crying, it makes me start tearing up. Every time. This has caused some really strange moments in my life. Counter to that; if I see someone laughing, the act alone makes me laugh also. I try to go through life looking at people laughing instead of crying. There are plenty of each, but laughing makes me feel way better, so I try to do that as often as possible.

When I was trying to cheer up my Mom one time when she was crying about something, she said to me; "Tim, life isn't always something you can laugh about. Sometimes there is nothing funny to think of".

My answer to her was; "I can always think of something that made me laugh once. Always! If I *see* it in my mind again, it makes me laugh again, just as it did the first time".

I don't have time to feel sad. I have too many wonderful, happy moments that have happened to me to settle for crying.

I don't do "Depression"! I refuse to.

 

[Addie]

I am with you on that one Tim. Heaven knows, I have had my share of sadness. But I refuse to dwell on it. One year I brought into my home, two young soldiers from the nearby base for Christmas. This was their first their Christmas away from home. Four of my five kids were on the East Coast and the youngest with me. The five of us had a great dinner and I had bought a present for each of them. The two young 'boys' had a ball playing with my son and his toys. I made two friends that day. They continued to write to me even after they had been deployed to Korea for their overseas duty.

Now some folks would ask, "Aren't you afraid to bring a stranger into your home?" No I wasn't. I was about the age of their mothers'. And I made foods that their mother made for them. I was able to bring a little bit of happiness to two lonely boys away from home. And the were 'boys.'

I can always find the good side to everything. Earthquakes, floods, hurrianes? Look at all the jobs that are going to be created by building new homes for those who lost everything. They will get new homes, new furniture, and a new future. And the family still have each other. You just have to look around the corner to find good and laughter in life.

 

[babetoo]

Merry Christmas Babe. God bless you. Holes left in our hearts by loved ones passed are hard to fill, it must be unbearable when the loss is so horrific. Christmas time can be a depressing time for all of us. The only thing that seems to help is having children around. You are so blessed to have those wonderful great grand children in your life. May they bring you comfort at this difficult time.

thank you. some sorrows are so dark that there is no bright side. i did have a good time with one group of my loved ones, last night. in about an hour will go to the other half. this is the half with my four beautiful little girls. i have learned that this depression is seasonable. i try not to burden the rest of my family with it. so i can say and really mean it. merry christmas.

 

[chopper]

thank you. some sorrows are so dark that there is no bright side. i did have a good time with one group of my loved ones, last night. in about an hour will go to the other half. this is the half with my four beautiful little girls. i have learned that this depression is seasonable. i try not to burden the rest of my family with it. so i can say and really mean it. merry christmas.

Merry Christmas Babe. You are an inspiration to me. You have such a wonderful relationship with those great grand babies. I wish I was there to listen and offer a hug or two when you are feeling down. Happy New Year!