Acceptance

Lily of the Valley: One of my favorites from our garden. If only I could send you its fragrance!

Hello Friends:

How are you hanging in there? As I checked my calendar this morning, I felt a pang of sadness. My youngest child originally had a field trip to Greenfield Village scheduled today. I had planned to chaperone, as I did with my oldest a couple of years prior. What fun we had on that hot and sunny May day!

Instead of being with one of my kids on a rainy day field trip, we are at home, making the best of things. Our daily rhythm is pretty consistent. And, I am still struggling to get up early, with the exception of a now weekly grocery store trip at the crack of dawn.

Like many others, we panic bought and stocked up, just in case. It kept us out of the stores for weeks and still felt strange. Our typical home inventory of food and supplies is quite minimal. However, when the lockdown started, this minimal home inventory left me feeling ill prepared, especially as a mother. I wanted to make sure that we could sustain ourselves and stay healthy. Despite the fear of not having enough, we continue to be well fed with plenty of toilet paper on hand. 

While things are still uncertain and sometimes scary, I feel less anxious in general. I try to find acceptance in our current circumstances. Acceptance isn't a passive "I cannot do anything" mindset. It's more of a "what can I do now" frame of mind. This Wall Street Journal quote from Rev. Michael Walrond Jr. of Harlem, New York sums up this idea perfectly: “I don’t think this is a moment where we simply just mourn the loss of what we cannot do, it is also being creative about what we can do, to create new rituals.”

So, I feel the sadness of my child's missed field trip and the cancelled summer travel plans. I also feel gratitude for all the blessings in our lives right now. Most of all, our continued health. I enjoy our daily walks in the woods, the vibrant green landscape, a baby deer with its mama, flowers in bloom, fresh salad and radishes from our garden. The kids and I follow a daily rhythm of school work, music practice and household chores. I give bad haircuts to my husband, my son and our dog. Once a week, I am guaranteed to get up early for groceries. It's my big adventure!

Of course, I look forward to days when things feel more "normal". For now, I focus on small things: getting up earlier, being more patient, cleaning the house consistently, letting go of clutter and seeing the gifts in this unusual time. We must stay hopeful. We must stay positive.

I really want to know what is helping you stay hopeful and positive these days?

All my best,

Carolyn