Christmas Hopes and Wishes

flowers c/o Flowerworld 
Dress - Needle & Thread

This gift box is empty of physical gifts but it's full of my hopes and wishes for me and for you this Christmas.

My biggest Christmas wish is that one day I will be as healthy on the inside as I often look on the outside. To have 100% health would be like winning the lottery. It would be a dream come true. As you probably know, I'm working on my health through treatment but I wouldn't turn down a Christmas miracle! 

I wish for more awareness for invisible illnesses so that people like me don't have to feel how I sometimes find myself feeling. I do struggle a lot in terms of how invisible my poor health is. It can be hard for others to understand just how unwell I am when all they see is the carefully chosen photos of me looking a picture of health. I feel very aware of this. A lot of the time I can't even relate to those photos, like the ones above. They can often show such a different reality to what I'm actually living with which is the beauty of photography. However, I often find myself feeling like I need to justify them, to explain my hobby, the one thing that gave me a sense of identity after chronic illness took away my last one - I guess that's what I'm doing right now! 

I also wish for better health to all those who suffer so bravely, especially to my friends who smile through it all and support each other in the darkest of times. 

I wish that those who are healthy will keep the gift of health for as long as possible. 

I wish that you will be surrounded by the people you love the most this Christmas. It took me a while to learn this but I believe the most important things in life are the people around us and that spending time with those we love is the greatest gift, not status, power, money or objects. The greatest Christmas gift is spending time with those we love. Although I hope you find the gifts you want under your tree too!

Christmas can be hard though when some of our loved ones are no longer with us. If like me your missing someone, I hope that you can remember them in your own way today. 

I hope you have the best day, filled with your own traditions but if you're feeling extra ill, or if your family is intense, or you just feel a little bah humbug remember it's ok to take time out today. 

I wish that you all have a very merry Christmas and that 2017 will be a fantastic year for you all. 

My box may be light, but it's heavy with hope and wishes. 

Emma Xx