‘Tis the season for kinship. Holiday parties, ugly sweater contests, ribbons and rituals, and that constant chorus of coughs and sneezes.
I’ve been battling it myself for more than a week now, and everywhere I went last week, someone either had it too, or was proudly announcing they’d finally shaken it. It wasn’t the kind of togetherness I was looking for, but it was unmistakably communal.
What struck me wasn’t the misery, though there was plenty of that, but the way people were comparing notes like we were all part of the same unofficial club. There was the conversation with the lady at the grocery store about which brand of cough drops was “the only one that works.” There was the guy pumping gas at Pilot who just looked at me and said “Me too” when I started coughing.
I know Christmas is the season of giving, but no one meant giving this.
It is sort of oddly comforting, when you’re feeling miserable, to run into others who are feeling the same way. I did try to stay away from others, only going out twice last week for the duties I couldn’t avoid, but those who were either going through it themselves or have just gotten over it were easy to spot. The same tired eyes, scratchy voices, and noses not quite as red as Rudolph, but close.
That’s been as much of the kinship of this season as I’ve been able to share. I’ve had to decline invitations to holiday parties and skip gatherings I was looking forward to. It’s not easy to sit out the social side of December, especially when the calendar offers many chances to celebrate. But even from the sidelines, there’s a sense of connection in knowing everyone else is muddling through the same thing.
So if you’ve been fighting off the same bug, or are just now getting your voice back, consider yourself part of this season’s unofficial club. It’s not the merriest membership, but it does come with a certain shared understanding that reminds us we’re all doing our best.
So with that, here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the coming days bring health, warmth and the kind of kinship that doesn’t require cough drops.
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