Being Sick at Christmas May Suck But There Are Worse Things Out There

And it’s lucky I’m not too bothered about Christmas

For the first time this week, I have enough energy to write.

For the second time in less than a month, I was relegated to my bed with fever, cough, and severe aches everywhere. It sucked.

Medium became a place that demanded far too much energy that I didn’t have and I certainly had no writing head on me.

I did meet with one client, although even that was cut short. She wanted me to take my rest since, as she said, Christmas is tough on mothers. We’re expected to do everything. To wrap the gifts (for which Santa takes all the credit), have everything beautiful and sparkling for the big day, and have a hot meal on the table — which is expected to be perfect.

She didn’t know that I’m both Jewish and vegetarian, which means that I don’t give too much of a hoot about meeting any expectations on Christmas Day, and the Christmas lunch is far less of a hassle when there’s no turkey involved. But she’s right about the fact that mothers are typically burdened with the bulk of the jobs, and even for this Jewish, vegetarian mama here, I have to make sure there is food to cook and want to ensure there’s a vibe to enjoy. After all, a fun and upbeat family meal is so much better than a miserable one, don’t you think?

So feeling sick in the days leading up to Christmas really did suck. It took work to keep reminding myself that none of it really matters.

And then, thankfully, I finally started to feel better, with a day-and-a-half still to shop/prep/get the laundry done/drag a vacuum cleaner around the house.

As I sat in my bed the day I started to feel better, I reflected on the wars happening in the world right now, of which there are far too many. Most of which barely make it into the news.

The ones that do however are the same ones that have been prominent in my own awareness — the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war. They’ve also touched my own life in various ways.

I thought of the Ukrainian refugees who arrived here in my area last year, and remain, possibly for the long term. I wondered what they must have thought when they arrived in the often damp and cold climate of the UK, like it is today. I listened to the peace and quiet outside my window and imagined how beautiful that sound of silence must seem to someone arriving from a war zone.

And that’s when it occurred to me just how lucky we are here.

I know so many people who have something to complain about at the moment. They have no time, work is too busy, they’re worn down and burnt out, or money is tight and they are going into debt to manage Christmas. These are all really shit things, it’s true. But then again, they are things that they can choose to have some control over.

Too much work to do? Prioritise and accept that you’re only human and can only get so much done. The world will survive, I promise you.

Not enough time for yourself? Find ways to create more. Order groceries to be delivered instead of going out to pick them up. Get a take-out instead of cooking. Say no to your kids begging for lifts for one or two designated days this week. Cancel that coffee with that person you are only meeting up with to be polite. Life’s too short for politeness when your sanity is at stake.

As for money, if there ain’t much, don’t spend. Work to a budget and then you can cherish the occasional treats more.

Like I say, these complaints are all things that we can have some control over. And for that we are lucky.

Because there are a whole lot more people who aren’t so lucky to have mere complaints that they can influence in some way.

Such as the people in war zones, searching for food or a soft place to sleep for the night. People crying for their loved ones who were brutally snatched away from them to be taken hostage, or tortured and killed.

People who have lost their homes and their belongings. People whose entire livelihoods were burnt down in an instant.

Children who lie in bed at night listening to the sound of bombs falling, wondering if they will get any closer, or are wondering how many hours of sleep they will get before the next missile siren sounds.

That was what I thought about as I lay in bed, sick with a dirty house, unwrapped Christmas gifts, and the unbought list of groceries on my notepad, listening to the sound of silence outside my window.

I though how lucky I am, because even if I don’t get to the supermarket, I will still be able to eat a good meal on Christmas Day. Even if I don’t wrap any gifts, there will still be something to give my kids. And heck, the house can always be cleaned next week!

Because for me, next week is almost entirely guaranteed. THAT’S how lucky I am. For many others, it is completely unknown whether they will live to see another week.

So, just in case you’re thinking about having a moan about how hard things are having to put up with your mean aunt, your loud and obnoxious uncle, or your spoilt cousins, just take a moment to go and sit alone — even if you have to resort to sitting on the toilet. As you sit there, listen to the sounds from outside. What do you hear? Perhaps a few birds? A car or three?

But I guess no bombs — am I right?

And for that, there is much to be grateful.

Merry Christmas 🎄