Holidays can break the shell

Some of us surround ourselves with a shell invisible to others. A shell that helps us survive from day to day and get a bit of enjoyment out of life once in awhile. This shell keeps our intense feelings from exploding out and causing others stress. This shell deflects and or absorbs the things in life that make us want to scream, cry, or lash out. The shell wears thin and it is a constant struggle to add layers to it for our and others preservation. Holiday time is a busy, crazy stressful time. Expectations run high and rarely met. This is a time when the shell that surrounds us takes a beating, wearing thin in places and most likely cracking in several more. When this happen all of the stuff the shell has been keeping out gets in and the stuff it has been keeping in gets out. It is never pretty. Here's to hoping the shell holds this Holiday season.