The holiday season is supposed to be filled with joy, love and family. It’s easy to lose sight of that on top of all the rituals and obligations that we may feel we have to participate in. Seeing family and friends that I haven’t seen much throughout the year has my anxieties on the max level today. I fear the unknown you could say. Not knowing how those at this gathering will react seeing me for the first time in months. Not knowing if they’ll understand the distance and my reasoning for loving my solitude. Not knowing if I’ll be judged for the amount of time I can manage to be there for emotionally. All of these things make it seem so much easier to stay home and protect my mental space. With that option though comes the awkward tensions on the true day of the holiday and no one understanding why protecting my mental space is so important. Families can think that it’s good to be gathered together but while it’s good for most there are people like me who honestly would rather do nothing at all. It slightly annoys me that at this time no one can wish that people do what is the best thing for them. We may not understand why but I think that family should be supportive of whatever another member needs in order to be healthy, in order to get through the holidays and in order to enjoy the holiday season however they choose. People don’t seem to be aware of how much harm the obligations and traditions can do to a person’s mental health and here’s to hoping for holiday seasons that aren’t filled with a ton of pressure in the future.