To Be Happy

La Voz de Galicia – December 27, 2024 →

Cristina PatoDuring this time of year, one can’t stop thinking about how difficult it must be for some people to have “happy holidays”. About the number of people who, for whatever reason, cannot or do not have the chance to make these holidays good. And when everything around us forces us to “be happy,” sometimes nostalgia, illness, loss, and small or great misfortunes weigh heavier than ever.

I also think about all those who have no one to gather with during these days, or those who cannot or do not want to gather with anyone for whatever reasons. Or those who, despite having someone to be with, find that the only thing such a family reunion brings is more conflict, more fights, more sadness, and more misunderstandings. Because, at times, bringing the family together to celebrate Christmas Eve or New Year’s can be a trigger to awaken old disputes.

And with all that around us—those omnipresent lights (are there more of them everywhere, or is it just my imagination?), the national carols, the imported songs (long live Mariah Carey!), and that inexplicable need to buy things that aren’t always necessary— it sometimes feels like the holidays overwhelm us, and the feeling of having to be happy also becomes an obligation.

Perhaps the most important thing for me during these dates is to be present and to appreciate those small moments of light that appear throughout the day. Because that little spark of light might be what pulls us out of the darkness we’re in for just a second, transforming that “obligation” into the hope that if these holidays can’t be good, the good things won’t take long to arrive… After all, we don’t always have to wait for Christmas to celebrate life.

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