Senior to Senior: Holiday Blues

The holidays are difficult for the oldest of the old. You have pretty much adjusted to living alone during the rest of the year, but holidays are supposed to be festive, aren’t they? What do you do if you have outlived friends, and your family members are far away? You are not alone if thoughts of holiday decorations, family gatherings, and huge meals are just memories of the way things used to be. It’s true that some traditions are falling by the wayside. Sending and receiving Christmas cards, even those dastardly mimeograph form letters, were conspicuously absent this year. A few e-letters made their way it into our in-boxes, but somehow, it wasn’t the same. Today, children live states away instead of on the other side of town, and they may or may not be able to come home. Holidays have suddenly become a time of anxiety, loneliness, stress, and depression. Life has changed and you may not feel like celebrating at all; it’s just another day on the calendar. If you don’t feel like decorating and traveling has just become too hard, holidays blues can become all too real. If you are not clinically depressed, but just feeling a little down, you are not alone. It is okay to keep things simple. You still need people though, so don’t be afraid to share your feelings with likeminded friends. Meet for coffee and treat yourself to a pumpkin spiced latte or a steamed apple cider as you commiserate. Perhaps now is the time to celebrate by reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, and for preparing yourself “mindfully” for the coming year. Reflect and contemplate your own future and think of ways to enhance your happiness quota as you go forward. Experience enjoyment in the simple things. Talk with friends or visit someone in a care facility. Make new friends. Chances are you do have likeminded people in your life; you just haven’t heard from then in a while. Open yourself up to creating new “traditions.” Life in itself is a gift. Embrace it!