Holidays approaching.

[Jafo]

The holidays are almost here and it's a very depressing time of year for me. I don't do well during the Christmas season. I ask for no gifts and don't give out any. It's hard for me to be all happy and jolly and wish joy to the world when there is so much human suffering through out it. People on the streets freezing and hungry. Children who get nothing for Christmas. I feel helpless. Even when I try to do something nice for someone I think about the many who don't get nice things. I know I as one man can't help every single man, woman and child who are suffering this time of year. I just want to feel good about helping the few that I can without feeling guilty for not being to help every one. Does that make sense?

 

[BeyondShy]

It makes perfect sense to me.

 

[SofiasMami]

Of course that makes sense. Christmas is a hard time of year for a lot of people, especially with media-driven images of perfect families with no problems, loneliness or deprivation all having a great time. Why can't we all have that?
Even just helping one person who is hurting can have a ripple effect way beyond that one person. And for me personally, I focus less on my own misery when I'm reaching out to someone who maybe just needs a kind word or a warm meal this time of year.

-Teresa

 

[Solivagant]

Of course that makes sense. Christmas is a hard time of year for a lot of people, especially with media-driven images of perfect families with no problems, loneliness or deprivation all having a great time. Why can't we all have that?
Even just helping one person who is hurting can have a ripple effect way beyond that one person. And for me personally, I focus less on my own misery when I'm reaching out to someone who maybe just needs a kind word or a warm meal this time of year.

-Teresa

^ What she said, exactly.

If you only helped one boy by making his Christmas special, he's going to remember that for the rest of his life, and maybe be influenced to do the same for someone else someday. You can't alleviate all the world's suffering on your own, but the help you give to one person will spread to other people.

 

[BreakingtheGirl]

I totally understand this. I feel this way all the time, but haven't found others that share the same sadness & guilt about it. When I've expressed this to family members (or any depressing current events like the masses making their way to Europe from Syria for religious asylum), my family doesn't really care too much. Only care about if they should bother shopping during Black Friday in chaotic crowds. (It's difficult being a part of a materialistic family)

Do as much as you can to help anyone but try not to have the guilt of the world bring you down emotionally. I try to tell myself this all the time as well. I know how you feel. It's because you have a kind & giving heart. My co-workers & I helped pass out bagged lunches & warm drinks for Thanksgiving a few yrs ago at a homeless shelter down the street. Maybe try something like that?

 

[Tiina63]

I agree with what everyone has replied here. None of us can help everyone. Just helping one or two people can have a ripple effect as Sofiasmami has said.

 

[9006]

Well everything you described happens every day of the year; it's not just Christmas. The only difference is that psychologically Christmas comes across as a 'happy and jolly' time of the year where the feelings you have towards these particular things are amplified.

If you really want to feel good over Christmas I'm pretty sure theirs voluntary work with charities who feed and take care of the homeless over the Christmas period. At least then you're not just helping one, either.

 

[TheRealCallie]

Well everything you described happens every day of the year; it's not just Christmas. The only difference is that psychologically Christmas comes across as a 'happy and jolly' time of the year where the feelings you have towards these particular things are amplified.

If you really want to feel good over Christmas I'm pretty sure theirs voluntary work with charities who feed and take care of the homeless over the Christmas period. At least then you're not just helping one, either.

I agree with this.

Also, I have a friend who makes care packages for the homeless. She makes them up, just little things like snacks and soap or something like that and takes some with her everywhere she goes, if she sees a homeless person, she offers them one. Easy and relatively cheap to do.

 

[Paraiyar]

I think maybe you need to remember that when it comes to the have-nothings of this world that you describe in your post that you didn't create their situation and that you not enjoying Christmas because of it does absolutely nothing to help them.

 

[Triple Bogey]

Of course that makes sense. Christmas is a hard time of year for a lot of people, especially with media-driven images of perfect families with no problems, loneliness or deprivation all having a great time. Why can't we all have that?
Even just helping one person who is hurting can have a ripple effect way beyond that one person. And for me personally, I focus less on my own misery when I'm reaching out to someone who maybe just needs a kind word or a warm meal this time of year.

-Teresa

lovely idea from a lovely person