2021 Home For the Holidays

2021 Home for the Holidays Lincoln Daily News November 24, 2021 Page 39 disease. I don’t care who it is - if someone says “I don’t feel safe,” you say, “I understand. We’ll video chat and see each other as soon as it is safe.” Even if someone who is in attendance says “I need to step outside, I can’t be in a group as easily as I used to,” you say, “Sure - take your time.” Normally I love watching a guilt trip from the sidelines; it’s practically a spectator sport. But this is not the time; just let people have their space, and don’t treat it like a personal offense. Stepping outside or staying out of a group is not an insult. That also applies to anyone wearing a mask. Again, I want to see comfort, and that means masks for a lot of people. I’ve grown attached to mine. I like being able to hide my expressions, and nobody can judge me for mumbling to myself, or ask me what I’m thinking about so hard. I promise you - it’s just my face. What I really want to see at holiday gatherings this year is a sense of shared comfort. If that means half the family still isn’t there, then deal with it in therapy. If half the family is just at home, then you can still see them through an Internet connection or call them on the phone, and it will have to be enough. But if half the family struggled with covid after last year’s gathering, then I hope the turkey was worth it (assuming you could taste it. Then again, my turkey never tastes like anything anyway). Remember, we are literally living through mass trauma right now. So just be kind, and, for once, follow the actual spirit of the holidays. I keep my holiday spirit from Halloween, so if you’ll excuse, I’m going to go let it out of its cage. Wishing the best for you and yours this year and every year, Your holiday Curmudgeon