Thanksgiving is over, and though I endeavor to make a thankful attitude,”Perpetual” as Emerson put it, I am relieved to have checked off another holiday.
Last year I celebrated Thanksgiving from the couch, with my leg elevated, and throbbing from the previous week’s surgery. This year, I am grateful to be walking after a recovery more difficult than I would have imagined.
While I’m determined to get back on my feet in more ways than one, I have decided to take things slow this year. Minimal organization. No Christmas arts& crafts fairs. No extra commitments of any kind. Since I haven’t had an income for the past year, all of our Christmas gifts will be homemade, and I hope no feelings will be hurt if I don’t get to everyone.
I plan to make my health a taboo subject, at least until mid-January-ish. I do not want to hear the words “Ehlers-Danlos,” or “cancer” come out of my mouth unless I am speaking to someone in scrubs. I will not let my illness be a set of ghostly chains dragging me down through the season. I want to celebrate. I want to teach my children Christmas songs and traditions. Not just our own, but the richness of our panoply of friends and families, a wide spectrum of joy.
I want to eat and celebrate, and I plan to care for myself, but I do not want to let my illness eclipse my life. For the next month-and-a-half, I’ll try to say if I’m feeling less than great, but beyond that, I’d rather not share. I appreciate concern and thoughtfulness, but it’s a season of joy, and I want to keep the focus on joy. I don’t view this as denial, because although I am ill, I think excessive focus on it due to constant medical follow-ups and well-intentioned conversations are causing me to remain in a “sick person” mindset. I don’t believe the constant reminders of my illness are healthy, and I find they detract from my enjoyment of life. I personally believe the body/mind/spirit is a potent connection between attributes of the whole person, and I think that where the mind dwells the body may well follow. The irony of this statement in view of my “dark” style and tastes is not lost on me, but most of us are not so clear-cut or monochromatic enough to be that simple. 🙂
That said, blessings to all in the coming season of Light!
Inky Unkindness 