Picked up a random poetry book From the crowded shelf. Quick easy hour read: Delight and wonder. Then, Found…
Finding Gratitude and Kindness
Last week, I drove from one job to the next. The sun shone down on the world around me as I waited patiently at traffic lights and traveled the necessary distance across town. My mind whirled in exhaustion from working with very active children for six hours so I felt like a sloth barely making the necessary actions to survive. Depression clung to me as though a rogue shadow on Peter Pan. I longed to go home and curl up on my couch with a soft blanket and a good book, pushing the world away. Yet, just as instantly as that depressive thought emerged, so too did the faces of my daughters and husband who were counting on me to work so we could make our house payment, buy groceries, etc. My desire to support my family interceded and I kept driving towards my next responsibility.
Then, with a smile on my face, I arrived at my destination and pretended everything was alright for a few hours, secretly praying for some time off.
Now this week, a strange pandemic of a virus has enabled me to have some time off. What a weird way to have an answer to a prayer. I am thankful all the same.
One of my cousins posted on Facebook this image from the Bible:
I am not one to take the Bible literally. This just seems a bit too coincidental to not be true.
Our society has become such an insanely materialistic and self-driving one that we were bound to need a reality check eventually.
Of course, I didn’t expect the panic over silly things like toilet paper and how to properly wash your hands.
Today, my family and I are home each working separately on our own endeavors (at least I hope the girls are still doing homework), each of us together under this one roof in this crazy time of social isolation.
I do not fear getting the virus. I fear for the elderly and the children who are in need of food and company.
My principal at school is going to do a daily morning message to our families. His message is based on the premise that “Kindness is the Cure.”
I am proud to be a part of a staff who cares so much that we are not cutting ourselves off from families. We will continue to provide distance learning and be available to still stay connected via technology. Our principal encourages us to write letters to others, to deliver food to the elderly by leaving it on their doorstep, and to be kind to ourselves by adhering to our social isolation regulations set forth by our Governor and Mayor.
In this way, we get a break from the routines of each day, but we are still together in a spirit of kindness and learning. For my own sake, I need to still be connected to this amazing community. I am just thankful for the downtime as well. I may not have to go physically to both jobs, but nevertheless, I am still doing what I need to do to support my family.
I prayed last week for time off. This week I have paid time off. I am left bewildered because the reason for my time off is not why I want to be home. I pray that this Covid-19 pandemic is controlled before more people die and that all of us take the necessary precautions to stay healthy. Wash your hands and stay home.
Keep your families safe and stay inside together.
Have you read my book yet? You can read it on Amazon Kindle at this link. I would love to know what you think about my faith journey!