I Took A Moment From My Day
December, 2025
Parents know that December is stressful. Don’t get me wrong, it can be incredibly lovely and comforting - full of joy and magic. For many of us, it just comes down to the power of moments.
However, it is important to realize that whatever holiday you celebrate, there is much that connects us all. Whether you are setting up a manger scene, lighting a menorah, or lighting a yule log and charging crystals, all of these rituals have a common thread. They all celebrate the astonishingly powerful concept of hope. Hope for a baby born a miracle - fragile, small, yet powerful enough to reshape the world. Hope for the miracle of a tiny flame that refused to be extinguished, and for the people who kindle the flame, generation after generation, no matter the darkness around them. Hope for the rebirth of the Sun and promise of new growth, of lighter days ahead. So powerful is this concept of hope.
It is a concept that parents of children with disabilities breathe like oxygen. Hope for a way to communicate better, hope for less pain, hope for a cure, hope for a friend, hope to have more good days… We cling to this hope and manifest it into whatever action we can. In December, days are dark, but the holiday cheer is everywhere. For many families, this juxtaposition is palpable. The disruption in routine, travel, different foods, company, or others’ expectations can be stressful for everyone in the family.
For some parents, the holiday season may bring up an uncomfortable feeling of jealousy, especially when receiving holiday cards from “perfect families” with recaps of sports and scholastic achievements, family camping trips, or travel. The feeling of envy doesn’t change the love felt for the people who sent them, or the joy of seeing their families’ adventures year after year. It just means that we are human. By acknowledging that we can feel both admiration alongside envy, we can begin to take away the shame of those emotions, making it easier to understand ourselves and connect more honestly with others. Wishing things were easier doesn’t negate the love we have for our children. It is part of the emotional landscape of disability, not a character flaw.
In the age of social media, where you only see a highlight reel, it may also be helpful to remember that every family has bumps in the road. Life isn’t always trophies and sandcastles. More importantly, the opposite is true. For families of people with disabilities, there are moments throughout the year when things are okay, or better than okay. There are moments of joy. Of peace. Of cheer. A moment may only be sixty seconds, but those seconds add up to hours, add up to days, add up to weeks, and maybe add up to months.
When things are stressful this holiday season, remember those extraordinary moments and hold them close. They are a gift.
Of course, if you need a place to feel supported and seen, you can always come to Helping Friendly Farm and kiss a goat, pet a pig, or snuggle a donkey!