Wendel Abel
Dear friends:
THE YEAR 2005 is coming to an end and the holidays are here again! It has been another challenging year for us in Jamaica but let us give thanks for having survived another year.
Christmas is a period for celebrations and festivities. It is a period for connecting and reconnecting with friends and families. Many persons are at risk of becoming down and depressed as they face the many expectations and anticipations that the holiday season brings.
For many persons it is difficult as they pass the period without families and friends who have migrated, loved ones who have died, children who have left home and parents who are not around.
As the challenging economic pressures mount, many persons continue to struggle and find it increasingly difficult to meet the many obligations and the multiple expectations that people have at this time, workers expecting bonuses, children expecting gifts, and loved ones expecting something at this time of the year.
But we do not have to allow ourselves to be beaten by the holiday blues.
The holidays present many opportunities for us to come together to share and care.
Pause, reflect and remind yourself of the following:
1. You are a survivor. Despite the challenges and the pressure, you have made it through another tough year. You have done well. You have survived.
2. You are alive, even if you are not in the peak of health. Cherish your precious life. You are a child of this universe and you have a special mission in this world.
3. You must have achieved some personal goals. Life cannot be all a complete failure. You must have achieved some, if not all, your personal goals this year. Count the blessings and give thanks.
4. You have made this world a beautiful place. In more ways than one, all of us in our own way, we have all made our contribution. The world, despite its problems, despite the hardship, despite the suffering, is still a beautiful place. Let us continue to make it beautiful.
5. Make peace with yourself. Stop blaming yourself a lot for some of the personal tragedies in your life. Have you been blaming yourself for some of the things that happened in your family? Have you been blaming yourself for things that went wrong at work? Sometimes we make decisions that do not produce the results we want. But at the time these decisions were made, they were the best we could have made. Do not be too hard on yourself.
During this special season of Christmas, I encourage you all to:
1. Remember to give. It is in giving that we receive. Give of your time, talent and resources. The Christmas season provides many opportunities for us to give to those who are less fortunate and in need. Let us give to children's homes, homes for the elderly, those in hospitals and to those who are in distress.
2. Visit relatives and friends, shut-ins, those who may be living alone and those in distress. A kind thought or a moment's visit may make the difference in the lives of others.
3. Remember to take care of yourself. Treat yourself.
4. Continue to pay attention to your health. Amid the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, pursue a healthy lifestyle. Continue to eat right, exercise well, get adequate sleep and do everything in moderation.
One love and a merry Christmas to you all.
Dr. Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer, University of the West Indies. Email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
