The holiday card I really want to send

Every year since I graduated college, I’ve sent out self-designed holiday cards. They were never typical as “Happy Holidays!” never seemed to accurately express what I wanted to say or be enough. But this year, with the state this world is in, it definitely didn’t seem to be enough. So I sat down & wrote The Holiday Card I Really Want To Send.
—
My real wish for you this holiday is to Be Well.
Not to be confused with the sentiment of the infamous email sign off,
“I hope you’re well!”
Which is a way of saying “Well,
I’m assuming you’re fine,
so no need for me to put down social media
for an extra five to see if you are,
because what if you’re not,
and you need me,
and I don’t know what to do?”
My wish for you this holiday is to Get Well.
Similar to when you broke your leg and everyone drew on you with pink Sharpie, but not quite.
Because this wound can’t be healed with paper mache and a cute nurse.
Because most won’t even allow you to be diagnosed,
Because the bloodiest cut in this case is one where
most would bandage it with shame.
But that’s not a bandage, that’s bondage.
And we all know I could talk about sexual fantasies for ages
but that’s for another day
and restraints have no place in my mouth right now.
I wish for you to Get Well.
Because in this political climate,
And in this moment of America,
And in this dark spot of confusion and transition and strong words and feelings, no one is there yet.
And I’d much rather tell you that I’m not great either, but that’s okay.
And that I’m not made uncomfortable by your discomfort,
Or by your imperfect thoughts and your damaged words,
Or by your knee jerk reactions and the many, many times you will fuck it up.
But to fuck it up is to try,
and trying is bold and courageous
and all we can do right now...

Read the rest here.