Blue Christmas

So I was talking with a friend today about my choice to become a police chaplain and began to describe how statistically, holidays are a time when police departments can expect to receive calls regarding suicide.

I never really thought about it much, I mean after all, who likes thinking about suicide?  But what really hit me was the reason WHY the holidays are a time when suicides come up.  I can imagine someone who has nobody in this world sitting there on Thanksgiving on Christmas Day thinking about everyone else in the world who has someone to be with, or a family to go home to.  It’s really hard to comprehend unless you’ve actually been in that situation.  I’ve never been in that situation, but I have suffered from bouts of depression and have a taste of what it’s like to feel that way.

And I think that the reason why people get depressed around the holidays is because we are wired with a need to be loved… we’re human!  And for some, they were never given the chance to have a normal family life, or to understand what it’s like to truly be loved.  I’m sure there are people in your life who are lonely, yet you may not know it because we’re so busy in our lives today that it’s often hard for us to keep track of the lives of others.  It’s nobody’s fault, things come up, we get distracted.

So I would challenge you to take time for those who are lonely.  For some, it may be including someone in a group activity.  For others, it may be delivering Meals on Wheels to the elderly.  Some people do these deeds to feel better about themselves, but I hope that if you try it, that you do it to open your eyes to the loneliness that is in this world.  It’s not a ploy to ruin your Christmas joy, but hopefully to compel you to want to make a change in this world.

Well, that’s my rant for now.  Stay tuned this month as I talk about my favorite Christmas music among other things!