Day 255 - A Holiday Party and a Bit Left Over for Me

A holiday, for me, is a time for family to get together. When we have a chance to be together it is what we like to do. Today my hubby and I went to my daughter's house for an afternoon party and the house was filled with family members and lots of kids. It was wonderful. What was also wonderful was that I was able to contribute to the party in a way that suited me perfectly. I had the energy to follow through on what I promised to prepare and I could go to the party with something in hand. I prepared a couple of casseroles last night and had great fun in my kitchen chopping and shredding and baking. This afternoon, I helped in my daughter's kitchen a bit, and I think I helped to relieve some of the pressure of having a house full of folks. It felt great to feel useful and a part of things. I enjoyed socializing and all-in-all it was a lovely day. What made it work well for me was that I paced myself and made sure that there wasn't a time during the day that I was pushing beyond my limits.

 

I started the day by having the energy to make a real, from scratch breakfast and thought from the way I was feeling that it was going to be a great day. Within an hour, I had a mini-crash and from about ten until noon. I slept. When I woke I got myself into the tub and started to feel better again. The rest of the day was pretty good - but as soon as I felt my energy waning I found a quiet corner and let myself just relax for a little while. I think it made a big difference because typically, when I am in a social situation, I often find my energy gone before the event is over. Not this time. I stayed until the end and even had a bit of energy left over for a visit to my mother and brother in the nursing home. It was great to be able to spend the day the way I wanted to and to have an opportunity to be with my family and participate in our holiday celebration. At the end of the day I still felt good and settled into a quiet evening. All in all it was a great day.

 

There have been holidays in my past that I have totally missed because I was too ill to be part of the gathering. There have also been holidays that came and went without me doing very much planning because it just wasn't possible. I am learning to let others do what I can't and I am also learning to make the most of every single minute I get to celebrate with loved ones. I used to have very clear ideas about what it meant to have a holiday celebration, but over the years I have learned to match my expectation to what I can realistically accomplish. I love to have fun and to get together with people I care about. I know that it doesn't have to mean that I do the work, that I have to be the hostess or that I have to live up to a self-imposed standard of what it means to enjoy a holiday with my family. Traditions come in all shapes and sizes and just because I have done something a particular way, it doesn't mean it has to be that way forever. I can change because I wish to, not because I am forced to and discover new traditions that match the life I am living now.