Awakenings

So here we are, all of us, the entire world, on a quarantine of sorts … or perhaps we could call it a Sabbatical.  It’s all about perspective.  My days have been spent between the dance of social distancing measures with 2 kids under the age of 5, keeping a box of Clorox wipes handy because I don’t think I need to tell you how many times kids touch their faces and put things, disgusting things, in their mouths.  My days have also been balancing between anxiety and peace, most of which I find is all about choice.

For instance, I love social media, but since this whole thing really started getting crazy, I’ve had to use social media distancing, lol.  It seems EVERY post is about COVID-19, or how many people have died, or why isn’t the government doing more, or how bad it’s gonna be in a month, etc etc etc.  I began to feel knots in my stomach more and feel my pulse go up, and start to think about ALL the terrible things that could possibly go wrong.  So, I took and am still taking a HUGE step back from social media, and even from watching the news.  I prefer instead to read the news, and I keep it limited to certain times within my day so I don’t get sucked in for long periods of time.  I still sneak onto social media sites now and then, just to see if there is something enjoyable to see, like pictures of my friends, the great memes that are going around right now, or positive posts.  But when I feel my stomach begin to turn in knots again, or my vibe start to get off, I close the app and return to my present life.  It’s such a crazy thing that our thumbs hold the capability of promoting peace or anxiety!

We’ve all seen this message floating around right now, but I’m gonna reiterate it again: this time is a GIFT.  We have mandated quality time with family!!  What??  We have been told to slow down.  We have been told to take a Sabbatical from the frantic lives we all have been living that have caused us stress or have stolen time with family.  We have been told to BE HOME.  Wow.  This is a Sabbath gift that is being given to us all!  So how are we doing with that?

How are we spending this unspeakable gift?  Are we spending the whole time on news sites to see what is the latest thing happening now with this crazy virus?  Are we getting the latest adrenaline rush as we read about the possible horrors of what could happen to us?  (Don’t get me wrong:  it’s good to be informed – I’m referring to an overabundance of information that we can’t control the outcome of).  Or are we taking advantage of this amazing gift, and being present to ourselves, to our families?  Are we allowing ourselves to slow down and be still and be present?

On this weekend, on this Sabbatical that we all are in, I challenge us all to unplug and lean in to the amazing gift that this time is.  This will probably never (hopefully) happen again.  So drink in this precious time we’ve been given to be with family, or to be with ourselves.  Let’s give ourselves, especially our souls, permission to rest.

Today I looked into my kid’s beautiful pudgy faces and fell in love all over again.  We all as a family stopped long enough to hear the birds.  We sang songs together.  We shared what the best part of our day was.  We stopped and saw each other, and basked in each other.  Yes, this time we’ve been given is a beautiful gift.  Let’s not squander it.