You can and you can't.

Christmas time ends up being one of the most stressful times of the year. Which is a bummer!There's so much to get done, and while there could be a lovely scene of Christmas bustle with wrapping paper and ribbon curling, too often it becomes an endless list of tasks that must be got through.

Someone remarked to me: "I feel like things could be done quietly — or at least peacefully." Well, yeah! Of course they could! but we don't live in an ideal world where everyone sits around singing like cheerful elves getting everything done peacefully. We live in a world where we are always trying to get the next thing done so we can go on to the next thing and the next and the next forever. There's no slowing down.

It seems like we should be able to force ourselves to slow down and enjoy each moment; make wrapping gifts one of the joys of Christmas, not one of the annoyances we must get through until the momentary joys can be appreciated. IF they can be appreciated, because on Christmas day when presents are trying to be unwrapped there's still meal prep that has to get done and out of the way. Too often it's a list of have-tos not get-tos.

But sometimes everything is too overwhelming and you just feel the need to cry. When I feel this way I want to push it away. I want to change how I feel but sometimes that's just not possible.

Changing ones mood is not an easy task. Sometimes feelings demand to be felt. There's no avoiding them.