A Jackson native, I started my career as a broadcaster with Radio Free Europe in Prague. My work has taken me literally around the world. And, now, back to my home state and hometown.
Holidays can elicit a mix of emotions, say Jackson neighbors.Neighbors took time to share how they cope with those emotions.Therapist Bill Mure says feeling blue isn’t something we should run from, and thinking even of small things to be grateful for can help.
“‘Tis the season to be jolly” — but jolly isn’t the only emotion we experience during these year-end holidays.
“There’s struggles every year. I mean, it’s not — you’re not going to get away from them,” says Jackson neighbor Greg Sprague.
With Christmas now passed and a New Year coming up, I went Downtown to ask neighbors, how they are feeling this holiday season.
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Year-end holidays elicit all kinds of emotions, say Jackson neighbors
“I’m feeling pretty grateful, as always,” says Sam Westers.
Tatiana Brewers says she’s “feeling pretty good. My kids had a good Christmas. I’ve got my boyfriend home with me, and that made my holidays good.”
But we know sometimes the holidays aren’t easy. Jackson-based therapist Bill Mure told me some of what is affecting Jackson neighbors this time of year:
“The holiday stressors: Do I have enough money? Am I going to be able to get this for this person? Do I have to tolerate this relative? It’s going to be hard…everyone has their own different context of what they’re experiencing.”
“I think the holidays get a little stressful for a lot of people. So, dealing with that,” says Westers.
Greg Sprague’s description of 2025? “A roller coaster.”
With a year of ups and downs to look back on, sometimes, the downs can get to us.
So how do we cope?
“I always look at things of, like, what can I control, and what can’t I control. And if I’m getting upset about things I can’t control, I let go of it,” says Sprague.
“Over the last few days, seeing a lot of the people that I do — they do have some ups and downs. They have weepy moments, but then they also find the gratitude,” says Mure.
Mure says even for someone feeling blue, it’s best not to run from those emotions:
“I think we have to experience these emotions to really kind of get through them. If we try to avoid them, I think that’s where a lot of our sadness and depression and other emotional traumas come from.”
…and try to find even small things to be grateful for.
“As long as we can get back to that gratitude and thankfulness, I think that’s a good place to be,” says Westers.
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