Community, Loneliness, and Stress — This Is Vital to Get Out of The Darkness

As the holidays roll around, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping, travel plans, and everything else that comes with the season. But one thing that stands out more than ever is how vital it is to spend quality time with family. 

This year, our family is especially focused on the importance of creating those memories—our first Christmas in our new house, followed by a vacation together in the mountains.

It’s not just about time away from school — but a fundamental part of our existence.

We’re excited about the time off, but it’s not just about the time away from work and school. It’s about making sure we stay connected as a family. There’s a reason why we carve out this dedicated time every year: we never get that time back. Life is busy, and sometimes it’s easy to forget how quickly things change. 

My oldest son is graduating high school in just six months, and that means this might be the last Christmas vacation we all have together, as he’s likely to start making plans of his own. 

And this is a huge reminder that our time together is limited. Life, relationships, and seasons of life. 

This realization is part of why we’re so adamant about taking vacations as a family. It’s a time where we’re not distracted by work or school, and that makes a big difference.

We don’t just “get away” but we “get together.”

For us, the goal every time we go on vacation is simple: spend time together, away from the chaos of everyday life. We don’t just want to “get away” for the sake of it.

We want to be intentional about the time we have.

It’s easy to get caught up in the grind, traveling for work, juggling kids’ sports and activities, but every three months or so, we make a point to slow down and just be with each other. 

No distractions. No rush. Just family time.

As an adult, I now get it.

It’s a mindset I didn’t always understand. Growing up, my family didn’t take a lot of vacations. We’d go places, sure, but it was never really about spending time together in a relaxed, unhurried way. 

That’s the difference now. 

As a parent, I’m realizing how important it is to set aside this focused time. It’s about building memories that we can look back on, especially as the kids get older. 

We only have so many of these moments left.

Vacations do the trick — because we make … 

One of the reasons we’re so focused on these vacations is that we only have a limited number of holidays with our kids. My daughter has just a few more Christmases guaranteed with us before she heads off into adulthood, and my youngest has seven. 

That’s not a lot of time when you think about it. So, we make sure we make the most of it. The holidays, these vacations—this is when we focus on making memories that will last.

Again, I remind us, that we’re not around forever. 

Vacations do the trick because we make … memories.

It’s something you may lose sight of until you bring everyone together.

As I think about it more, I realize just how important family time is on a deeper level. It’s like a kind of healing, not just physically but emotionally. Spending time together on vacation feels like nourishing your soul.

It’s like a replenishment that’s hard to put into words, but you feel it. 

It’s that unspoken connection that happens when you’re with the people you care about, doing simple things like playing cards or watching a movie. And it’s not just the fun activities we do together—it’s the feeling of connection that comes with it.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets to experience that connection. 

In fact, loneliness is on the rise, despite all the ways technology keeps us connected. We’re more digitally “connected” than ever, yet we’re more isolated than ever. 

Loneliness is a huge issue, and it’s contributing to stress, anxiety, and depression.

 People are struggling to connect on a real, human level, and that’s where the importance of physical proximity and human relationships comes in.

There’s something incredibly healing about spending time with those closest to you, especially during the holidays. I think it’s something we don’t fully appreciate until we make the effort to connect.

For example, I have friends who’ve been struggling with isolation, and when they finally open up and have someone really listen to them, you can see the change. 

It’s like they come back to life. They’re more grounded, more themselves. And they’re so grateful for it.

This is why it’s so important to take time to connect, to set aside time for family and friends. In a world that’s constantly moving faster and becoming more disconnected, it’s up to us to make an effort to slow down and spend that focused time together. 

It’s about quality over quantity. 

You don’t get that time back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. 

And in our busy lives, it’s so easy to forget how much we need that human connection.

For us, the time spent together on vacation isn’t just about getting away from work or the routine; it’s about building stronger bonds, strengthening the family unit, and creating lasting memories. 

We’re intentional about these moments, and it’s become a priority to do it at least three or four times a year. Whether it’s a simple weekend getaway or a week-long vacation, the focus is always the same: time together, without distractions. 

Playing games, doing crafts, or just watching a movie where the kids climb up and snuggle with us. These are the moments that make life feel full.

And as we look to the future, it’s clear that these moments—these simple, shared experiences—are what matter the most. 

The holidays, family time, and making sure we’re there for each other—they’re the things that will stick with us long after the presents are opened and the vacations are over. That’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is always one that I need to remember when I start to feel stressed out and anxious about things happening in my life that I feel are out of my control. It’s good to remember that God’s in control, not me. So, when I feel stressed out or anxious, I need to remember that prayer is always going to be my best response.

Psalms 55:22: Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken 

Again, this verse is a great reminder to take your stress, fears, and anxiety to God through prayer. It’s through prayer and speaking with God that I’ve come to realize that I can’t control anything, that it’s in God’s hands and that is the most comforting thing in the world to me.