Obviously, that didn't happen.
In all my ears I've always been with either my parents or my brother at Christmas. I expected I wouldn't be there in 2020, but only because of my commitment to Angola -- I couldn't have predicted how this year would unfold.
I value that people have expressed concerns at how my year has been going -- after all, I live alone, I'm cut off from most of the people I normally interact with and I'm not in Angola. And yet I'm geniunely doing well in all of this. I accept that all of this is just temporary. I am going to Angola, eventually. I am going to be reunited with my friends and family.
I've decided to be intentional about battling loneliness during the holidays. Not only through internet video chats with friends and family but through activities. Heck, just by deciding that I'm going to cook the sort of meals my Mom traditionally serves during the holidays (instead of my usual 5-minute meals) I've been keeping myself occupied.
It's not the same, celebrating Christmas alone. There's no schedule -- I could watch the church service at any time, eat my meals at any time, open gifts at any time, get out of bed at any time. It's not how I would ever choose to spend the holiday.
But things aren't all bad. I hope you're managing in whatever circumstances you find yourself in during these holidays. Merry Christmas!
