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Handling the Holidays with Love and Forgiveness

Making Peace with the Past is a Healing, Empowering Process. It’s the Reason for the Season, A Gift to Yourself that Keeps on Giving.

Authentically releasing another is more than just lip service. It entails sincerely opening your heart, truly blessing those who have harmed you, recognizing they’re troubled, flawed, wounded individuals doing the best they can.

Wishing for them everything you covet is beneficial in the long run, since you won’t be wallowing in rage and fury, resulting in relegating your dreams to the back burner. You’ll have renewed energy, passion, and motivation to excel in carrying out your personal plans, desires, and goals.

Accepting your family, exes, siblings, and friends with all their weaknesses, faults, liabilities, and limitations, is easier said than done. However, nothing warrants holding on to hostility, antagonism and resentment, particularly when the damage goes clear to your core, preventing your brilliant essence from shining its brightest.

Blaming those who have committed despicable acts and behaved abhorrently, keeps you stuck in a victim position. Absolving the perpetrators and bullies restores the lost power necessary to take charge of your life.

You have the courage and strength deep within, critical to letting negativity and destructive patterns roll right over you. Consciously choosing to ignore what normally would irritate, annoy, rile, incense, madden, and exasperate, will make you feel ten feet tall. You may find the inclination to continue this newfound vigor, joy, source of pleasure, and tranquility, beyond the holidays.

With Turkey Day looming this Thursday and festivities in full bloom, many single people are faced with challenging scenarios e.g. separation from their children due to custody arrangements, dealing with unfavorable family dynamics, attending soirees solo, coping with the loneliness and/or loss of a recent relationship. 

A majority believe this is the worst time of year to be single. Yet many look forward to an abundance of parties and celebrations where they believe there’s an enhanced chance to meet someone new.

Bringing a special someone home for the holidays can be stressful, i.e. worrying about whether he/she will be accepted. Some perceive a partner as lifting the onus off of them during family functions and therefore, as a rule, are only comfortable at gatherings when accompanied by a mate. On the other hand, this could add conflict if the boyfriend/girlfriend isn’t welcome, thus creating additional acrimony and ill will.

Regarding visitation for single parents, a sticky situation can be turned into a pleasant opportunity by implementing a positive outlook. It’s all in your perception. An attitude of gratitude will get you through much better than one of doom and gloom.

Whether you see your children on a particular day or not isn’t the issue. How you embrace the time you do have with them is what matters. If you’re not together on Thursday, you can still maintain traditions by observing Thanksgiving whenever you’re able to.

Be sure to consistently retain rituals, such as cooking a special meal, feeding the homeless, revealing gratitude lists, albeit on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday. Your children cherish occasions in your company so it behooves you to focus on the significance of that concept, instead of moments in absentia. Whether a few hours or an entire weekend, make the most of what exists, propelling the spirit of the season to the forefront.

Realize that your children may very well enjoy rejoicing twice, due to double the presents (presence), double the fun. The key word is presence, the greatest offering you can bestow.

Children mirror your emotions. If you’re sad and negative, they’ll reflect the same. If you’re content and appreciative, they’ll follow suit. Actions speak louder than words so wipe the smirk off your face and capture the incomparable privilege and delight of parenthood.

Never give your children the impression you’re unhappy when they spend periods with the other parent, thus causing injurious guilt. Confer your blessing, assuring them you’re looking forward to sharing sunny spirits shortly.

Refrain from tendencies to become Mr./Ms. Scrooge. Spread the satisfaction, especially if it involves tolerating a snarly old uncle, nasty sibling, malicious in law. No matter your internal pain, justifiable ire, legitimate grievances, childhood traumas, everything currently is in perfect order.

Commemorate the meaning of the season by not being a ‘meanie.’ Practice unconditional deeds without expectations, keeping score, or demanding tit for tat. Read or reread communally The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Ask not what your family and friends can do for you but what you can do for them.

Fill your "horn of plenty," with affection, tenderness, wonder, compassion, and understanding, rather than material possessions. It will sustain and adorn you in glory producing an improved sense of worth, dignity, value, esteem. Peace on earth and goodwill towards men/women is meant to cover even detestable, repugnant exes and relatives who have treated you dishonorably. 

Stay in the now, reveling in the splendor, procuring pride in those close to you, exulting in a world viewed as overflowing with abundance. In this instance, everyone is a ‘have.’ There are no ‘have nots.’

Singles Slogan for Today: I opt for a mind-set of indebtedness. My cornucopia is filled with prosperity. My soul sores and flourishes. I have enough. I am enough. I give thanks for all good things, including:___________________________________________(List ten).    

Bob Blanchard November 20, 2011 at 03:08 pm
TURKEY DAY??? Gee, I can't wait for "Turkey Day" to be over so we can celebrate "XMAS". There are a few holidays which deserve our reverence. Thanksgiving is one.

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Mike Szymanski (Editor) June 18, 2013 at 09:54 am
Hey Beth! You may want to consider posting photos in a gallery by using the START BLOGGING buttonRead More on the front page for more visibility on the site! thanks!
at the wheel
Mike Szymanski (Editor) June 18, 2013 at 09:57 am
My sister just did a first-time experience...stay tuned to her post of what she did with her friendsRead More going there a few weeks ago...she loved it! Post your thoughts here, or consider clicking the START BLOGGING button on the bottom left of the front page to tell us more and start a conversation!
mzjuniper June 19, 2013 at 07:27 am
I celebrated my husbands birthday here with a bunch of friends. The 6 of us sat around the wheelRead More learning to spin pottery. It was so much fun! And we got to all try something new together. The teacher is very patient and helpful. It was a truly delightful experience. I highly recommend it.
Stepping back into the light. Thanks Jaqueline Huang.
E.M. Fredric June 16, 2013 at 08:56 pm
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rumradio-org/2013/06/17/rumradio-interview-with-eva-marie-fredric-1
E.M. Fredric June 16, 2013 at 08:56 pm
Thanks Mike, you are always such a positive and supportive friend!
E.M. Fredric June 17, 2013 at 10:00 am
The re-airs tonight and Sunday on the radio but you can listen at the link above any time.
Rich Addams June 15, 2013 at 07:43 am
Who ARE you and what's the number? What kind of informational specialist are you, you leave noRead More number, no email, and you expect us to care? BLOG something lady! Tells us about it!!!!
Kalil Stimpson June 17, 2013 at 07:32 pm
Dear tbs, Deon Coles black box is the worst tv show ever. Though it is hosted by a black man, it'sRead More a show based on pointing fun and rude Racist jokes directed toward black people. If there was a white host it would be considered racist but because a black man was appointed to be host , you might have figured we wouldn't be offended but we are and I can't speak for all but I feel like resist jokes aren't ok regardless of who is telling them and I would like tbs to take down this show or atleast change the points in the show ! -signed, Kalil Stimpson
Miki Henderson June 12, 2013 at 11:29 am
How fun! I can't wait! What a great place to do it, too! Llove the cheeses!
Miki Henderson June 12, 2013 at 11:30 am
This is the last piece of open area along this river, if we're ever going to have it look like aRead More real river again, we MUST preserve this seciton, which is about a quarter way down! PLease help!! Thank you for your volunteerism, I know you ladies have done so much!