When Holidays Hurt (A Poem)

Written by psychotherapist and poet Shannon Algeo, this audio poem serves as a gentle sanctuary for those navigating the emotional complexities of holidays and the weight of difficult family dynamics. The poem moves from acknowledging the stings of difficult relational patterns toward a deliberate practice of releasing pain that does not belong to you. By encouraging listeners to view heartache as a guide toward inner belonging, this poem emphasizes the importance of returning to one’s own light and spiritual sovereignty. The message offers a hopeful blessing, reminding us that our breath and inherent worth provide a permanent home even during the darkest seasons of life.

Transcript

Hello,

This is Shannon Algeo,

And this is a poem and a blessing to walk with yourself,

With care,

And to walk with the ones that you love,

With care and compassion.

This might be for the most wonderful time of the year,

Or any time of year where an anniversary or holiday brings up emotions from old dynamics,

Maybe inherited traumas,

Ancestral patterns,

Or just those painful reminders of how we get stuck in dynamics,

Holding burdens that might not even be ours to hold.

So I share this poem and blessing with you when holidays hurt.

Soften where you can.

It's okay if you bristle with ouch.

Keep breathing,

Though.

Gently place what is not yours to carry down.

The hot potato of pain was never your burden to bear.

Move toward the light of your soul,

And know that these emotions—disgust,

Grief,

Heartache,

Or confusion—can be great guides toward the house of your belonging.

Belong with your wise one,

The high self.

Rest with the care of the ones who value your presence and contribution.

Cease to internalize others' pain as your own shortcomings or misgivings.

This was never about you.

Walk with the wisdom of your wisest,

Witchy ancestor.

Strut with the sparkle of one thousand suns.

When the ones who brung you hurt you,

Kindly place the ouch they've thrust onto you at the feet of their stunningly tender humanity.

Forgive them and bless them.

And then redirect your presence toward the light of your belonging.

You can never not belong in the great family of this giant solar system home.

May the tapestry of your interiority rest in the sweet knowing you are always home.

May the buoyancy of your breath inhale,

Exhale,

Be a solve for your soul as you winter inward in these darkest of days.

The simple promise of the sun says this,

The light will come by morning.