Merry Christmas
To the bodies that let us down
At the most wonderful time
Of the year.
***
Merry Christmas
To the illnesses that strike
During last-minute shopping,
To the last-minute doctor’s appointments,
To the hope that this is nothing serious.
***
Merry Christmas
To the cancelled plans,
Disappointed relatives,
Uneaten food.
***
Merry Christmas
To the guilt that rises
Like bile in my throat,
To the presents ungifted,
To the crackers unpopped.
***
Merry Christmas
To the lonelification of illness,
To the shrinkage of my world,
As I let people down yet again.
***
Merry Christmas
To the blame,
The shame,
The worry that this will be as good as it gets,
The depressed thoughts that it already is.
***
Merry Christmas
To those who know,
Whose bodies tell the story,
Whose minds are on the brink of meltdown,
Who find Christmas lonelifying,
Who understand,
Who empathise.
***
Merry Christmas
To the One
Who stepped into our humanity
To offer not gold nor incense
But himself,
His own broken body.
We are not alone.
Merry Christmas.
Do you find Christmas lonelifying? Does your illness get in the way of your plans? Has God been present in the lonelification? Share your story. Let’s have a countercultural conversation.