#Adventword #Greeting

                                           

Today's Advent word is : GREETING. 

To be honest, I am not feeling " merry merry" this season. Many parts factors into my Grinchiness,

The big reason for my bad case of the humbugs is the fact that this is Christmas of Covid Round 2.  In January {in spite of the attempted coup of our federal government} I had high hopes for Year 2021. Vaccines were rolling out and we were getting ready to have hope again. 

 Fast forward to late September. One of my dear friends and mentors died after a long {NOT COVID} illness. Doc had been {and still is} a huge positive influence in my life & I still feel her absence acutely. If Doc were alive, she would gently but firmly remind me of the many blessings I have & that Christians have a bigger reason for holiday joy than does this secular world. She was such a mature Christ-follower who never let me stay wallowing in self-pity for very long. 

 I miss you " Doc" Lynne. 

  Here we are again: people still refusing to mask and vaccinate. COVID struck people I love {mild cases, thankfully} but our Christmas Week gathering will be canceled or significantly shortened. 

 December is a dark month & I am affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm grateful for sunny days in Florida, where Nature feeds my soul. I'm grateful that Brian and I have plenty of food to eat, a paid for little cottage and a good little truck that is new-to-us. 

Yet I am weary. I am NOT all about the " good will towards humans" bullshit when a scary proportion of people refuse to take a simple series of shots that will protect themselves and other people.  I wear the masks in public, but I resent the hell out of the fact that this is still necessary. I mask to care for other, more vulnerable people such as children who cannot yet get their booster shots. 

 So, my #Greeting for this day is: Meh-y Grinchmas.  {kudos to the friend who penned that term!} 

Meh. 

And if all you can say during this week is " meh", please know you are definitely not alone. 

Have a gentle holiday. Reach out if you need to talk. 

Shalom...

~Sarah McCarren

Christmas Eve 2021