Everyone chill the fuck out

Deep breath, everyone.

I think we’re all realizing that this is, in the end, a tempest in a teapot that came from poor communication. I think we’re all in agreement that Andrew should have let us know before now that he and Marianne weren’t coming. I sympathize with Mams’ plight here; I’m likewise one to procrastinate in the sharing of bad news, and it’s gotten me in trouble more than once in my life. The thing that finally sank in after years and years of making people angry: the consequences of delay always worsen the negative impact you were fearing in the first place.

Both Bridget and I understand the predicament that Marianne finds herself in with regards to work, and no one blames her for not wanting to travel umpteen hours for a couple of hours holiday, only to have to turn right back around.

Please understand that Bridget’s getting upset is not because she feels that Andrew or Marianne meant to snub us or anything. She’s more upset with how it affects her family; now that she’s had the evening to sleep over it, she realizes that the real impact of this whole shenanigan on her family is negligible, and her attitude has been tempered by this. As for me, I’m sorry that I dragged Mom into this, but as I pointed out to her, I have no ability to bring my brothers to task for anything, and I would have certainly crumbled from hearing Andrew’s helplessness had I called to relate our grievance (I don’t miss the irony, by the way, that I was unwilling to make a potentially difficult phone call…we McKenzies are all the same).

Invitations will continue to be given to family events; Andrew and Marianne should know that they’ll always be welcome regardless of circumstance.

Please note that the reason this whole thing bothered us wasn’t because they couldn’t come; that happens, especially among those of us who struggle paycheck to paycheck. What bothers us is that we didn’t know about it ‘til now. That’s all—and in the end, we know it’s not much. We have no intention of tearing Andrew away from Marianne this Christmas; it would completely ruin the point of inviting them to have them separated on the holiday—it’s not what we want. Please, please, please, stay in Amherst.

Let’s please just get past this, because it’s not really worth the bother it’s causing. We’ve all vented in our various forums, and so now let's just shrug our shoulders and have a Merry Christmas.

Please?