Winter is a tough time for many people. As we deal with time changes, weather changes, the sun setting earlier, too cold weather or not cold enough weather, and the uncertainty of the future, many of us are also dealing with seasonal affective disorder, heightened stress or trauma related to winter holidays and family pressure, and possibly feelings about the passing of another year.
November is the home of Transgender Awareness Month and Trans Day of Remembrance. It’s also the home of Indigenous People’s Month, and a holiday that reminds many people of genocide. For many of us at FORGE, it is a month of grief and a month of community. It’s a time of a lot of feelings.
“There’s nothing in nature that blooms all year long, so don’t expect yourself to either.”
We can rest. We can take time to nourish ourselves and our loved ones. We can exist differently in the world throughout the year – flowers do the same thing. Sometimes they grow tall, or they bloom, or they lay in waiting under the soil. What stage are you in? What do you need right now?
Across the country, communities will be hosting memorials for Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th. These are days when we honor the dead and recommit to fighting like hell for the living (in the adapted words of Mother Jones). FORGE will be hosting a virtual event on Grief, Love, and Liberation. Register here.
There are many ways to honor those who have passed. Some of us will take time to say their names, to light a candle, to gather with others. Some of us will celebrate their lives and beauty. Some of us will take time to care for those who are here. Some of us will learn about history to remember all of our ancestors. We have many choices. We hope you are able to find what you need this time of year.
At FORGE, we wanted to take a moment to say that we are glad you exist. Whatever stage of life or the year you are in now, we are glad you are here. We appreciate our community and all the ways that we can commit to blossom together, to feed the soil, and to rest when we need (or want) to.