Comments on: Surviving Christmas Whether You’re Single or Attached http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/surviving-christmas-whether-youre-single-or-attached/ Self Esteem|Dating|Relationships|Emotional Unavailability|Commitment| Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:27:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: probitionate http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/surviving-christmas-whether-youre-single-or-attached/comment-page-1/#comment-6718 probitionate Tue, 26 Dec 2006 13:28:27 +0000 http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/surviving-christmas-whether-youre-single-or-attached/#comment-6718 I decided to take exactly the opposite tack suggested and being alone this Christmas, with virtually no family or friends about at all, I executed what might be considered the opposite of homeopathy; I inundated myself with all manner of ponderings of and references to those things I most crave, extentions of loving, of being loved, of being coupled. So I blogged a ton, I cried a little, I sent out emails, cried a little more, read blogs from links I discovered, listened to music I knew was bound to bring on tears...and as a capper, came across an article I'd written a dozen years ago about 'the original One That Got Away' and made it an entry on my blog...and cried some more. Given my personal circumstances this Christmas, 'other constructive options', ones that would have involved 'distraction' (including just vegging in front of the television) simply weren't available to me, hence the seemingly masochistic strategy. But you know? I survived. I hated much of it. But when you begin your Christmas morning with a solitary –and harsh– pre-dawn run up the Niagara Escarpment and your only real Xmas Day contact ends up being with your father, who is so fearful of his fading existence, so utterly clenched when it comes to the notion of 'celebration' that he's unable to even offer up a card, let alone a present...maybe the idea of 'jumping into the fire' is the only real, practical option. I'm staying away from the Boxing Day sales today. I suspect the energy would be toxic. So I'm crafting yet another tale of Love...and steeling myself for Round Two, New Year's Eve. Right; where's that Kleenex...? I decided to take exactly the opposite tack suggested and being alone this Christmas, with virtually no family or friends about at all, I executed what might be considered the opposite of homeopathy; I inundated myself with all manner of ponderings of and references to those things I most crave, extentions of loving, of being loved, of being coupled. So I blogged a ton, I cried a little, I sent out emails, cried a little more, read blogs from links I discovered, listened to music I knew was bound to bring on tears…and as a capper, came across an article I’d written a dozen years ago about ‘the original One That Got Away’ and made it an entry on my blog…and cried some more.

Given my personal circumstances this Christmas, ‘other constructive options’, ones that would have involved ‘distraction’ (including just vegging in front of the television) simply weren’t available to me, hence the seemingly masochistic strategy.

But you know? I survived. I hated much of it. But when you begin your Christmas morning with a solitary –and harsh– pre-dawn run up the Niagara Escarpment and your only real Xmas Day contact ends up being with your father, who is so fearful of his fading existence, so utterly clenched when it comes to the notion of ‘celebration’ that he’s unable to even offer up a card, let alone a present…maybe the idea of ‘jumping into the fire’ is the only real, practical option.

I’m staying away from the Boxing Day sales today. I suspect the energy would be toxic. So I’m crafting yet another tale of Love…and steeling myself for Round Two, New Year’s Eve.

Right; where’s that Kleenex…?

]]> By: Stuckey http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/surviving-christmas-whether-youre-single-or-attached/comment-page-1/#comment-6463 Stuckey Fri, 22 Dec 2006 18:46:43 +0000 http://www.baggagereclaim.co.uk/surviving-christmas-whether-youre-single-or-attached/#comment-6463 It's nice to read posts like this and be reminded that I'm not the only single person out here fighting through the holiday (and birthday) blues. It’s nice to read posts like this and be reminded that I’m not the only single person out here fighting through the holiday (and birthday) blues.

]]>