It’s Wednesday and I had planned to be alone, quiet, sleeping and eating or not, whatever I felt like doing.
Instead, I’ve been asked by Oranga Tamariki (NZ) a govt department, to have a just turned 15 year old girl stay with me as her parents need some respite! A young life that has been through utter trauma, living on streets in India until aged 7, now with me for a couple of weeks. We’ve just been for a silent walk, it’s huge, she wants to be with her adoptive family but she’s stuck with me. We’re both doing our best and I’m loving her guts in her vulnerability of being with someone who is a complete stranger.
For me, it’s a Wednesday, for her it’s a day that is reminding her of what she’s missing. She told me she trusts me, that’s my amazing gift to have been given today. I’ve given her a safe space and spaghetti, done her washing with no demands made of her to do anything other than to just breathe, no judgements. Life on a Wednesday can be and is many different things for us all. Kia kaha (be strong) and aroha mai (love to you all)
Very much not a fan of this time of year. I never liked it, it all feels fake, it's pageantry. I stopped celebrating when I stopped drinking because I literary can't pretend to enjoy it. I am far better off now I don't. But I still get the guilt texts from my mum and her self imposed sadness that I'm alone at Christmas.
For the last two years all I see is injustice and hypocrisy in relation to all things Christmas. I'm not Christian and even I can see that everything about Christmas is wrong. But it is just a Wednesday and soon it'll be January.
Highly agree with the link between not drinking and Christmas. It makes me so uncomfortable how the entire day revolves around alcohol so when you don’t drink it all gets a bit boring (especially the 18th time you have to tell your father in law that no thanks you don’t want a port).
Didn't even wait to hide to read this! There will be plenty of time for that over the next few days. But time to not only read but take in what I am reading is a rare and valuable commodity.
A few months before last Christmas…I contacted the few people that I was still exchanging gifts with and said…thank you but no more please. For the most part I think they were relieved. I like to cook so I make something delicious…same as most other days of the year except when I don’t feel like it. And no company in my house. No driving to anyone else’s house. Wednesday is looking to be a nice day.
Thank you so so much Jameela, I absolutely needed this right now. 🩷 It's just a Wednesday, it's almost over, while staying over at the in-laws, the morning today had already started with tears galore coming from weeks of pressure about this enforced sitting together and being happy bollocks. I'm reading this while sitting with all of them in a "cosy" circle just counting the minutes until I can go to bed. We can do this! We're not alone! Why do we choose to sit through this?? Next year I'm staying home. Everyone who doesn't want to be with relatives is welcome to come over, and we'll have a friendmas. Much love to all, I'm thinking of you
This why it will be just the three of us today (I, my man and our daughter... oh and the cats). We will eat whatever we feel like, do nothing special except watching Doctor Who (because Ncuti Gatwa is joy). Hope you have a nice Wednesday Jamila 💙
I’m the child of two people who got sick of Christmas expectations and was raised on doing what makes you happy for Christmas. We only went to extended family Christmas every second year as children and now not at all as adults. Hang out with your soul fam and eat nice food. And otherwise just enjoy the day off work. That’s it.
I needed this right now. At the moment I'm sitting in a truck stop with my husband getting ready to wash my face in a public restroom, and after that, traipsing around the parking lot searching for our truck in a sea of other lost and lonely souls. I made a choice to do this trying to forget all my fancy friends with beautiful gifts, lit trees, and warm fuzzy families gathered around, and commit to I'm not faking or pretending I'm one of them. I'm just not. Sometimes I have to step away from the beauty, embrace the stark, and remember it's only a Wednesday, and tonight I'm a child of God not full of woe.
Christmas pfft!
It’s Wednesday and I had planned to be alone, quiet, sleeping and eating or not, whatever I felt like doing.
Instead, I’ve been asked by Oranga Tamariki (NZ) a govt department, to have a just turned 15 year old girl stay with me as her parents need some respite! A young life that has been through utter trauma, living on streets in India until aged 7, now with me for a couple of weeks. We’ve just been for a silent walk, it’s huge, she wants to be with her adoptive family but she’s stuck with me. We’re both doing our best and I’m loving her guts in her vulnerability of being with someone who is a complete stranger.
For me, it’s a Wednesday, for her it’s a day that is reminding her of what she’s missing. She told me she trusts me, that’s my amazing gift to have been given today. I’ve given her a safe space and spaghetti, done her washing with no demands made of her to do anything other than to just breathe, no judgements. Life on a Wednesday can be and is many different things for us all. Kia kaha (be strong) and aroha mai (love to you all)
🫂💜❤️ Thank you for saying "Yes!"
Very much not a fan of this time of year. I never liked it, it all feels fake, it's pageantry. I stopped celebrating when I stopped drinking because I literary can't pretend to enjoy it. I am far better off now I don't. But I still get the guilt texts from my mum and her self imposed sadness that I'm alone at Christmas.
For the last two years all I see is injustice and hypocrisy in relation to all things Christmas. I'm not Christian and even I can see that everything about Christmas is wrong. But it is just a Wednesday and soon it'll be January.
Highly agree with the link between not drinking and Christmas. It makes me so uncomfortable how the entire day revolves around alcohol so when you don’t drink it all gets a bit boring (especially the 18th time you have to tell your father in law that no thanks you don’t want a port).
“Live. Laugh. Fart.” Couldn’t have put it any better.
I needed this, I had a debate over trans people and now I feel like screaming
Didn't even wait to hide to read this! There will be plenty of time for that over the next few days. But time to not only read but take in what I am reading is a rare and valuable commodity.
This was one of those moments
Thank you
And enjoy your Wednesday
A few months before last Christmas…I contacted the few people that I was still exchanging gifts with and said…thank you but no more please. For the most part I think they were relieved. I like to cook so I make something delicious…same as most other days of the year except when I don’t feel like it. And no company in my house. No driving to anyone else’s house. Wednesday is looking to be a nice day.
Happy Tuesday from the bottom part of the spinning globe. I needed this today! X
I really needed to hear this, thank you 💜 It IS just a Wednesday 😮💨
It’s just a Wednesday it’s just a Wednesday I am allowed to be in a bad mood on Christmas 🙄🙏
Thank you so so much Jameela, I absolutely needed this right now. 🩷 It's just a Wednesday, it's almost over, while staying over at the in-laws, the morning today had already started with tears galore coming from weeks of pressure about this enforced sitting together and being happy bollocks. I'm reading this while sitting with all of them in a "cosy" circle just counting the minutes until I can go to bed. We can do this! We're not alone! Why do we choose to sit through this?? Next year I'm staying home. Everyone who doesn't want to be with relatives is welcome to come over, and we'll have a friendmas. Much love to all, I'm thinking of you
This why it will be just the three of us today (I, my man and our daughter... oh and the cats). We will eat whatever we feel like, do nothing special except watching Doctor Who (because Ncuti Gatwa is joy). Hope you have a nice Wednesday Jamila 💙
I’m the child of two people who got sick of Christmas expectations and was raised on doing what makes you happy for Christmas. We only went to extended family Christmas every second year as children and now not at all as adults. Hang out with your soul fam and eat nice food. And otherwise just enjoy the day off work. That’s it.
I needed this right now. At the moment I'm sitting in a truck stop with my husband getting ready to wash my face in a public restroom, and after that, traipsing around the parking lot searching for our truck in a sea of other lost and lonely souls. I made a choice to do this trying to forget all my fancy friends with beautiful gifts, lit trees, and warm fuzzy families gathered around, and commit to I'm not faking or pretending I'm one of them. I'm just not. Sometimes I have to step away from the beauty, embrace the stark, and remember it's only a Wednesday, and tonight I'm a child of God not full of woe.
So loved what you wrote and even more when I listened to you say your own words. I follow Jesus and love all of what you brought up. Thanks dear! Oxo
I thought it was a beautiful day, and I love spending time with my family ❤️
Thank you for this. Today was really hard.
❤️