This will be a two-parter on experiencing the Thanksgiving holiday, and I will be using other bloggers’ posts as a launch-pad. Today, I’ll direct you to John Shore’s The Beatitude Attitude: 9 Tips for Avoiding Family Stress Over the Holidays.
Thanksgiving can be a stressful time. You have a bunch of people in one place who are clamoring to be heard (and that includes me). You have some family members who love to speak their minds, even when doing so is not exactly tactful (I’m sure people could say that I fit the bill here, too!). You have personality conflicts. You have hurt feelings—-both from what happened before Thanksgiving, and also things that occur during the holiday.
But John Shore offers tips on how to cope with the holidays, and he draws from the Beatitudes for guidance. One thing to do is to go into the holiday gathering with the Holy Spirit. For me personally, this means that I need my higher power in order to have the strength to cope with life, especially social situations, plus it helps for me to realize that I am not alone. Second, be a servant and give others the chance to talk. This is a challenge for me, for I tend to fade into the background because I am quiet, and so I almost feel as if I have to talk to let people know that I exist—-and I consider that to be me working on my social skills. But what I can take out of this point is that it’s better for me to give than to receive. I don’t have to be hyper-sensitive or self-conscious at these gatherings, but I can let others talk. Third, look for the good in what is around you—-such as the people who are serving (I think of my Grandma here). I’d add here the good food.
John Shore offers other tips, so his post is a worthwhile read.