On Sunday 14th December I went to a Church Service that reflected on those we have lost, and on the friends and family we continue to love and miss. For some, this is a good time to pause and reflect. For others, it can be an awful time, a time when grief, sorrow and old pain sit very close to the surface. Services like this can help. They create a space to remember, to acknowledge loss, and to know we are not alone.
I know this personally.
December carries many difficult memories for me. I lost my mother, who was born on the 12th December. I lost my sister – probably my dearest friend, along with my best friend, her husband, on the 15th December.
There are other dates too. On the 1st of December 1989, I was involved in a road traffic collision and was in a coma until the 21st of December. These experiences mean that this time of year can be deeply challenging for me, as I know it is for many others.
And yet, I must, and I do, wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Because Christmas is not only about happiness, it is about hope. It is about kindness shown quietly. It is about people looking out for one another, especially when times are hard.
Across our community, many people and many organisations continue to do truly great work – caring, supporting, volunteering, listening, and helping where help is needed most. At this time of year, and indeed throughout the year, we must remember that community really does mean community. No one should feel forgotten or excluded. No one should feel they do not belong.
To those who are celebrating with joy, and to those who are carrying sadness alongside the festivities, please know that you are seen, you are valued, and you matter.
I wish you all peace, kindness, and a Merry Christmas.
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