I find it interesting that the main thing most zoomed in on was my mention of label which wasn't really my point. But I thank you all for your imput

If Christians are so sure of their convictions, why are they such cowards? This is for you [agnostic.com]

If your truth is TRUTH, then why do you delete your messages, Troll? Do us all a favor and just delete your account. No one wants your fetid preaching and bizarre hallucinations about your Jesus and God.

I think it's wonderful not to have labels. Terrifying, but wonderful.

You're just getting warmed up.

Don't bother to label yourself, There are plenty of other folks out there who will be glad to do that for you.

Not sure if you mean just the holidays or yourself in general.

If regarding the holidays, maybe just try to live in the moment and don't compare to past holidays or expectations of how others think the holidays should be.

Not sure if you're like me, but as a child, I felt the holidays were so magical, full of dreams to come true and all that, and was disappointed, but still kept the faith for the next year.

Then as an adult, I tried to give my children that magical experience, but likely failed somewhat.

Now as a grandparent, I just watch my daughter give a magical experience to her children, and I only participate peripherally. I'm not personally into the holidays so much anymore at all, so am glad to live on the edges of all that, looking in at others enjoying the festivity. I don't have so much energy for it anymore.

It's taken a few years to just let it be - not feel pressured into doing anything - just observe and enjoy what I feel like doing, ignoring the rest. Life is much better without the expectations of others on me.

I am who I am on the inside and I don't have to do anything but be myself and give my time and love to those I care about.

Hope you are able to embrace yourself and discover a new you every day, not conforming into expectations of yourself, or fitting into expectations of others. It's okay to be erratic, eccentric, predictable or a new you as things around you change.

"Amnesia is not knowing who one is and wanting desperately to find out.
Euphoria is not knowing who one is and not caring.
Ecstasy is knowing exactly who one is - and still not caring."

-Tom Robbins, Another Roadside Attraction-

I feel the exact same way.

What ever you do, don't start listening to Alan Watts on YouTube when your feeling like this.. it will mess you up to a point of no return.. (of course I was also smoking pot at that time , so likely that didnt help lol)

What kind of emotional impact have they had on you, good or bad?

There myself.. I’ve decided we’d likely need three lifetimes ..to both figure it out - and be totally sick of it What I’ve begun to apply to myself is the recognition of a ‘cycle of life,’ then attempt to figure out where I fit in it.. No one will be my first love, marriage is out, kids would have to be someone elses … and, I’ve no time left for mistakes. Damn ‘holy days’