Our family, like millions worldwide, has been affected by unemployment and the
changes in the economy. We’ve found creative ways of coping and helping each other out.
It hasn’t been a very easy lesson to learn but
I try to feel grateful for all that I have,
instead of whining about all that I don’t.
The holiday season is especially tough, however.
The message of Buy More! Get More! Have More! seems to be everywhere.
The mailbox is stuffed with catalogs.
Endless TV commercials show happy families opening tons of gifts:
Electronics! Clothes! Jewelry! A cell phone that does everything!
Buy a new car! Host fancy parties! Bake more treats! Decorate everything!
The holiday media message is:
All this stuff will make you happy!
Yes, I know in my heart that true happiness has very little to do with “the stuff”,
but the non-stop images of the “perfect holidays”
can sometimes make me feel slightly irritated to downright depressed.
Maybe the holiday media message is just a
concentrated version of what women deal with every day of our lives!
One minute you’re feeling all confident, sexy and attractive,
just minding your own business and living your own sweet life.
And then…
long-legged, buxom “angels” in pricey underwear come prancing across the TV screen,
magazines run bold headlines about losing weight fast,
flawless faces in cosmetic advertisements promise the impossible trick of reverse aging.
The beautiful movie stars are thin, the sexy TV stars are thin,
the fabulous fashion models are thinner.
And suddenly your self-confidence goes right out the window…
The every day media message is:
Being thinner , looking younger and sexier will make you happy!
Yes, I know in my heart that happiness is not about looking younger or being thinner,
but the non-stop images of the “perfect woman”
can sometimes make me feel slightly irritated to downright depressed.
It seems I have another, every day lesson that’s not very easy to learn:
I try to feel grateful for all that I am,
instead of whining about all that I am not.
Please share some of your holiday or everyday lessons!
Thanks – I needed to hear that. The commercial part of Christmas always brings me down. Hope your Holidays are happy
Hi there, thanks very much for that. I was trying to find something to get me through the Xmas time, and this sounds just what I wanted. Anyway, thanks, I will bookmark and read more another time
My beautiful angel. During the holiday season, I turn off the tele, and start making gifts (along with my kids) for my family–these, with a few gently used books and media (can be gotten at your local library sale, cheap!) make great gifts–and are far more appreciated than the candle set someone ran out and got as an “emergency gift”. It also brings the fam closer as we are all in the same room making stuff. If you make cookies or cakes to give away–it smells good too!
I like getting homemade stuff so much more as well…but that’s just me. Because sometimes I feel as if the stuff owns me, and that’s not right. I am much happier giving stuff away.
Ginger,thank you for the lovely comment! I agree, making small, personal gifts with the family is much more in tune with the “holiday spirit”,and something your kids will fondly remember all their lives!