The One Where We Talk About The Holidays

It's the most wonderful time of the year! But at times it can be the most difficult time of the year when dealing with a broad spectrum of all different kinds of grief. In this episode, we discuss how we have strived to stay cautiously optimistic during the holidays as well as how others have done the same  through various challenges.  Listeners submitted answers to the question: How do you find cautious optimism when dealing with personal grief and pain during the holiday season? We share some of the inspiring messages and discuss how we can all find the gratitude and joy during this festive time of year even when it is not easy to do so. 

"The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them. How much sorrow can I hold? That's how much gratitude I can give. If I carry only grief, I'll bend toward cynicism and despair. If I have only gratitude, I'll become saccharine and won't develop much compassion for other people's suffering. Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps make compassion possible. " -Francis Ward Weller