My family hails from the Midwest. We celebrate the holiday like most other families. We gather. We eat. We share gifts. Laughs. The thing we don't do well is talk. In a time where rules and routines may well be matters of life and death for some and trivial to others, the unspoken can easily carry an enormous weight when families try to gather as one. This year that weight has proved to be truly daunting.
This year presents a challenge like no other for those of soft-spoken Midwestern descent. With vaccines, we have seemingly gained freedom to gather but a menu of considerations to mitigate risks to ourselves or other family. Masking. Distancing. Testing. We continue to strive to assess the habits of others, and extrapolate risks for the most vulnerable members. All of it with an ever-present sense of uncertainty that your best efforts will be enough against an invisible threat. It is enough to sap this wistful holiday of its magic, or further erode strained bonds between families.
Despite all this, the true spirit of Christmas still seems to shine brightest in the children. Some are so young they can barely remember a Christmas without masks, rules, and risks to calculate. Watching their joy shine through adversity is what makes this season truly special. A reminder that joy can be simple and powerful. That the gift of giving and showing our love for others doesn't care if we are feet or miles apart.
The post-pandemic future seems each year farther away, but the simple joy that children bring is a welcome panacea for the pandemic-weary parent. Their joy is proof there is always hope for something more. Something closer to normal. That is the Christmas Spirit that will sustain my family this year.
I wish all of yours the very same hope. And that we will all see days much simpler and more joyous ahead.
For the best experience view this post on Liketu
