Weekly Round Up: The Christmas Edition

Time for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just leave a comment below.

Christmas Day is over, but I feel I get a chance to relieve it again reading through your blogs this morning as I put together this week’s round-up, starting with Katy‘s wonderfully evocative Christmas memory themed post, Carrie‘s New York holiday images,  Eileen‘s heavenly pictures, and Audrey‘s unusual and quite fabulous Christmas gift. In the words of Ann Marie Otis “There is a magic in the season I just know it!”

Sometimes though the magic shine is dulled by painful memories and loss, as Jo Ann acknowledges:

This is a time of anniversaries and holidays with much positive symbolism and significance, but sometimes the unhappy memories are also heaviest and are considerably heightened during this time. Many people are carrying extra baggage that they haven’t quite worked out how to handle. All I can say is try to be extra kind and compassionate to both yourself and one another during this time.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere…

Every year too many women died of metastatic breast cancer; it seems this year in particular we have mourned the loss of too many women we have known. Rebecca‘s Susanne‘s and Jen‘s latest posts  encapsulate our collective heartbreak at these senseless deaths.

How do you cope when life is hard? Caroline writes about the topic in her latest post.

Terri shares some important news on her blog about the passing of the Breast Cancer Patient Education Act. This bill will work to educate and inform other women about their breast reconstruction options.

Beth is justifiably angry – read all about it in her latest blog.

I was inspired reading the beautiful winter solstice themed posts by both Elizabeth and Yvonne.

A big warm welcome back to the blogosphere to Lauren and Stacey.

Finally this week, I leave you with some words from Sally:

During testing time, the solidarity that comes from shared experiences feels like the very essence of being human. It says ‘I’ve been where you are now’. It says ‘You are not alone’. It says ‘I’m walking with you’. Seeing ourselves and our lives reflected in others is life-affirming and life-enhancing, even when life itself feels precarious.

 

Until next week,

May our week be guided by solidarity, compassion and kindness,

Yours with love

Marie xxx