Holiday REfle
This year, I felt that the only way to reach out to friends and family for the holidays is with a uniform message. First, I needed to ask forgiveness for being increasingly out of touch, not able to keep up with my personal exchanges, during a time when relationships have never been more important. I have been, quite frankly, overwhelmed, a tad depressed, intermittently enraged and generally unfocused. I’m sure many of you can relate.

Second, I find myself unable to send a simple holiday card when we have all just experienced the worst year of our lives. It feels insensitive and tone deaf not to acknowledge this universally painful reality. Yes, we have all suffered terrible tragedies on a personal basis. We have all lost loved ones, experienced grave medical problems, job loss and heartache. But never before have we found ourselves in a syndemic — multiple simultaneous crises — including the pandemic, racial injustice, homelessness, mental illness, marginalization and more. This is so much bigger than any one of us. And our hearts are filled with pain for the millions of people who are infinitely more impacted than us.

On the other hand, those of us who are economically secure and have access to supportive social circles and creature comforts during this global storm have much to be thankful for. But not for these most obvious reasons. Rather, our blessing is in the ability to “pay it forward” by aiding those less fortunate and fighting for so many others who have been systematically marginalized. There are many “quiet constituents” out there who have no voice without our advocacy. Perhaps our individual and collective activism will make some small measure of a difference.

And I hope it goes without saying that we have been presented with a rare opportunity to connect with loved ones in more intensive and meaningful ways, relishing every moment, even when virtual. We have been reminded that there is still humanity in the world. That there are still people who care about others. That not everybody is in it for themselves. And that certain privileges are worth sacrificing for the greater good.

While we grapple with this new reality we find ourselves in — which too often seems to have been overtaken by selfishness, greed, polarization, and anger — just beneath the surface is the goodness, optimism and compassion deep within us. And although we may not physically be with all our family members, our holidays will be filled with hope that human kindness will shine through after we conquer this damned virus and regain our civility.
['Diana Fishbein']
['Covid 19', 'Reflections', 'Activism', 'Holiday']