‘Tis the season for sharing and caring.

All the trimmings and customs come out from the woodwork to nestle themselves among the nooks and crannies of our holiday cheer.

Unless, of course, your personal experience resembles the wreck and ruin of interpersonal thermonuclear detonation.

Family, for the most part, is amazing. A sanctified unit of unconditional love and support, looking out for each other, caring, sharing and generally doing good will towards each other. Ideally, they are the people you have on your zombie apocalypse bug-out plan.

Sometimes though, we are not so lucky. It can be an arduous, difficult process just getting from one day to the next, trying to find a small patch of common ground somewhere on the scorched earth that was your lives.

We are all individuals, after all, playing at unity.

Best case scenario, you agree to disagree, cut your losses and move on, knowing and understanding the parameters of what your relationship must be from here on out.

Worst case scenario – it’s all over, and no amount of soul searching or wringing of hands will fix it.

You can’t affect their out look. You can’t make them see what they refuse to, and you can’t undo what has been said. And you certainly can’t forget it.

So this season, be extra generous with those still within your circle. Love them, be honest, about everything at all times. Don’t hide what you really feel, but know also that they need to feel safe to do the same.

Being honest can undo almost all damage, before it begins.

But if you wait, and you sit on it, hiding it away, then it might just all blow up in your face.

It’s a wonderful life if you let it be. And no perspective, whether it be prideful or self righteously borne, is worth throwing that life away.