People have commented how they have heard the birds chirping more recently. I think the birds are chirping the same as they ever do but we’ve slowed our busy selves down enough to hear them. This pandemic is indeed causing a jarring shut down yet I understand that once you’ve stopped fighting the change, you start to become mindful of the silence. It’s a forced meditation.
I believe our overall society is too distracted from what truly matters. We would rather run away than just be with ourselves. We sit in the same room as our loved ones and escape through TV’s and headphones and devices. The family is endured but not necessarily enjoyed.
Because my husband and I are non-traditional age parents (old people with kids), we are in a better place to understand what a joy we have while it lasts with these children. I am always mindful of what they are experiencing and doing, always witnessing and recording their lives for them for later. And I can say that this forced time together has brought us closer in many ways I didn’t foresee.
Family values are about respecting ourselves and the choices we made to become parents. Parenting is about doing the best for them as well as for ourselves. And somehow, I think this quarantine and less busyness can be seen as a good thing if we take the time to listen in the silence to what our souls are asking us to hear. That we can respect ourselves, our boundaries, others’ boundaries, and still be in relationship to one another. In fact, we can take this opportunity to tell the truths we may not have heard over the din of the former “progress” we were making.
What do you hear now that the world has slowed to a halt? What do you realize you can not do without?
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2 Comments
I agree, it’s that we’re slowing down more so we hear things that we didn’t hear before … AND, in my case, because I’m working from home, I hear the hum of the outside (nature noises) rather than the enclosed space of the office – the hum of the air conditioner, computers, office voices and occasionally the cars accelerating outside my windowless window on level two at work. I’m enjoying this. I always wanted to be a stay at home working mum and would’ve liked to home school but circumstances have changed that. I am so grateful for the steady income at the moment and REALLY glad I’m still busy with work and getting paid while others have lost their jobs. I’m hoping that being an older parent I can help my daughter learn to be grateful and also be grateful myself for the small joys. I love your writing … I’m finally getting to read. I have an InBox of your writings that I still need to read. It sounds like you’re doing ok in these crazy times. Stay well and safe. XXX
That you took the time to respond makes me so happy! Gratitude is definitely one thing we could all use more of from now on. I never wanted to homeschool only because I have a hard enough time not being codependent and because the lessons they learn away from is are so important. But here they are and we are doing our best. My son is teaching my daughter how to play piano in the other room right now. Thank you immensely for your validation of my writing. Please, if you are on any other social media, esp. IG, say hi to me. And am glad for you that you get to continue to be employed!
Love,
Shalagh