By Karen and Erica

Soon it will be Christmas. And Hannukah. And Kwanzaa. Time for family and food and gifts and lights and songs. Smiling faces are everywhere.

Except when they are not. Not everyone has a family or friends—especially people who are no longer young. Not everyone has bounteous food and drink and gifts. Not everyone is happy, and sometimes holidays make unhappiness pretty intense. When you are supposed to be happy, and you are not, and you think everyone but you is indeed happy, it can be hard.

Holidays can be like when you are on maternity leave and everyone says you must be blissful, but really you are feeling overwhelmed and inadequate and isolated and unable to reach out. Or like right after you retire, and people say how thrilled you must be, and in fact you are feeling at sea and alone and unprepared and can’t find anyone to talk to who is not working.

We’ve all been there. So let’s remember, if we have friends or relatives who are alone or sad, to invite them in—for a drink or a meal or just a quick hello. Share the joy.