Sinking Into the Moments…
I don’t believe we’re meant to ‘get through’ our lives. It might take a lifetime of practice, but I think we’re meant to sink into the moments and really LIVE the days we’ve been given.
Erica Layne
Our family seriously quarantined this past summer, which left two preschoolers with no preschool or other activities. All four parents and two available grandparents have full time jobs. We were busy being available and flexible as a team. Mornings during the week were spent at Meme’s summer camp; it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
By summer’s end, it was golden. They had learned to cooperate more and compete less. I saw more tenderness and less territorial bickering over who would get to use which swing, squirt the hose, sit in Pop’s lap, blow bubbles with the blue wand, eat their protein bars with or without a wrapper.
Our schedule is more manageable now but I miss sinking into the moment and really LIVING the day I was given with those two characters. Whether I thought I could afford it or not, my mornings were spent in the sun, playing. I played with chalk, sat in the kiddie pool, pushed the swing, caught a giggling girl as she charged down the slide. I also administered first aid and handed out consequences. I sweated bullets. Some days I needed a nap in the afternoon, further cutting into my productive work time. I would not change a thing.
Norah talks so well now that she can tell me she needs her privacy; Christian is starting to look like a boy who will soon head off to kindergarten. My babies are growing up. If there is gratitude I can find in the pandemic - and there is much to be grateful for - tops on my list is the uninterrupted time I had with these two little humans.
If you’re “getting through” the pandemic and that is absolutely your best case scenario, awesome. But...if you could find a way to seek out gratitude and resilience, it is possible to find moments to sink into! I hope you find a few!!
