Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving will be here in a hot second, and the stores are already filled to the gills with Christmas stuff. Yikes! This is the time of year when it's easy for our heads to spin with the flurry of holidays and all their accompanying chores, errands, and travel. I already feel the need to take a deep breath and pace myself!
Sometimes I'll indulge myself in a mental break: a guilt-free hour for afternoon coffee and scrolling through Facebook and Instagram. There are all kinds of reasons why social media can be unhealthy, and we've all heard those a hundred times. But, honestly, how else would military families keep up with ALL the friends and neighbors from across the years and duty stations? Didn't you think it was fun to scroll through your feed and see all your distant friends posting pictures of their kids' Halloween costumes? Same with first day of school pictures, sports pictures, and we'll blink twice and find our feeds full of Christmas pictures.
I'd encourage you to make the most of the busy holiday season, especially if you're isolated and homesick. Get out there and participate in whatever they do to celebrate the holidays THERE. For me that once meant attending a "didgeridoo festival" in the desert (and it was as weird as it sounds!). When my husband was TDY in Okinawa for our first Christmas, he accepted an invitation to spend the day at the home of the local Navigators missionaries. It wasn't the same as being together or surrounded by our families, but it was festive and memorable!
Wherever you're stationed, and whether you have family around or not, I hope that the holidays are sweet for you!
- Holly
