Christmas requires a certain kind of courage.

I’ve been pondering my Christmas blog post for quite some time. I’ve thought of witty ways to play with words; It’s supposed wonderful time of the Year. The 12 days of Missmas for all the things I’m missing this year. And then today, I heard the news of a beautiful woman, I’ve known for around 30 years, died in her sleep. She was an amazing person. Ten years ago, or so, she battled and survived a vicious strain of cancer. We’d lost touch in recent years. I guess that happens over the years. It happens with divorce. Her husband and my ex husband were friends as kids. Life happens. But then death happened.

Thankfully, her best friend sent out a group message on fb to let the old gang know that Jo had passed. All day my mind has been on the times of togetherness we had with Jo. She was the kind of person who was always offering friendship. She was…..just writing about a friend in the past tense is hard. It still doesn’t quite make sense. She was one of those people who are glue for a group of friends. Always opening her home. She inspires me to be generous. She inspires me to be brave. So much so that I had a feeling my ex-husband didn’t know the sad news, so I called him to let him know. We do things like that when it matters. Well, I like to think that I do things like that when it matters. And today I did.

This Christmas is another hard time. But I think it will be so much harder for her family than mine. Yes, it’s our second Christmas without Mum. For my sister in law, it’s her first Christmas without her big sister. It’s our first Christmas without my Aunty Judy; Mum’s only sister. She passed not quite six months after Mum.

I will be all right though. I still have beautiful friends and family around me. I have friends facing greater challenges than me. They will need a special kind of courage this Christmas.

I am well. I am loved. I am strong. I am safe. I have enough. I am truly blessed.

This Christmas I will do my best to reach out. And I’m letting you know that I’m here for you too. Reach out to me, if you want; if you need. I will respond.

I wish you peace and joy this Christmas. Deep abiding joy that runs right through the depths of sadness. It’s there. Sometimes it’s harder to see than others. But like a seam of opal, it glistens with beautiful colours and light. It might be hidden but it’s there. You are braver than you think.

Merry Christmas my dear friends.

Much love

Sair

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