Yesterday was Christmas here in Australia. The amount of work put into the day is huge. Cooking starts many days beforehand and the text messages organising who will be doing what starts months before the day. It’s a big day with high expectations.
This year I knew weeks in advance it was going to be a very different Christmas for me and that too required quite a bit of planning. Early November my world was turned upside down after a careless person at a gym class ran into me and caused me to crash hard on the floor, and in the process, shattering my tibia in multiple places. Complicated surgery was required and it will be mid January before I can start some weight bearing movements. Full recovery will take 6 months.
So, the logistics of how I would manage Christmas Day have been the subject of a lot of thought. The first challenge was how to get me inside my daughters house. It’s build on a very steep hill and has heaps of stairs and is multi levelled.
With careful planning my wheelchair got me into the house, via the garage and with the aid of a few guests. Then I was wheeled to the room where the buffet was and a safe space reserved for me. A strategy for a dedicated bathroom was sorted. Without prompting so many guests ensured I had food and drink, and they went upstairs to get me coffee and constantly checked if I needed anything. A sofa was put in place for me to snooze.
Most people were eating around the pool so when I decided I would like to join them, again people rallied and helped figure out how to get me and my wheelchair outside.
Many years ago we made a decision as a family that Christmas Day would be a day of inclusion. We agreed to embrace anyone who may not have family, is isolated or just needed to be included. This has transformed our Christmas. It became a very large gathering. It’s multicultural, noisy, fun, and so fulfilling.
One relative was very unhappy about the open invitation to others and told me that “Christmas is for family”. I couldn’t let this remark go unchallenged so before we said grace for the food I declared, “It has been said that Christmas is a time for family. And that is indeed true. And all of you, are family. So welcome to you all”.
My relative gave me a death stare.
Yesterday, with all the logistics of just getting me around I was touched and overwhelmed by how many people, without being asked, took it upon themselves to help me have a wonderful day. Their love and compassion, demonstrated the best in humanity. My extended “family” did so much to make this a very memorable Christmas, for all the right reasons. I am thankful.
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