To My Fellow Stripy People Facing the Holidays With a Rare Disease

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you, my fellow stripy people.

Many of us struggle this time of year. Some of you are watching loved ones eat whatever they want while you are stuck with a choice or two of food you prepared and brought for yourself. Some of you will be watching others celebrate with the kids you have decided you won’t have because of your genes, or you watch your child(ren) struggle through the festivities right along with you, or you watch others struggle. Some of you are experiencing the first holiday season without a loved one. Some of you are experiencing criticisms about how you go about relieving your symptoms and can’t face another get-together. I could go on for hours. There are so many things we struggle with this time of year.

But I have something to tell each one of you: You’ve got this. You’ll make it through this.

You, my dear friend, are a zebra in a crowd of horses, a standout among the mere ponies around you. You, my friend, live your life escaping lions in the prairies, leopards on the plains, and crocs at the watering hole. You, friend, are the picture of bravery. Wear your stripes proudly. You’ve earned them.

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Thinkstock photo by wowwa