Monday Musings 4-13-20

During these strange and sometimes scary days, it’s easy to think about all we are missing, all that we’ve lost or stand to lose. For families with sick loved ones, this time is particularly awful. For parents trying to work, homeschool their children, and maintain their own mental health, this is an exhausting, frustrating time. For people worried about jobs or finances, the stress is huge. In no way do I want to belittle that reality.

And yet, I truly believe the only thing I can control is my response to what’s happening. So, today, I’m choosing to respond to this situation with gratitude.

I am grateful to be in a warm home with plenty to eat. I am grateful to be sheltering in place with my husband, who is also my best friend. I am grateful that my family is safe and healthy. I am grateful that this morning I got to practice yoga wearing my Star Wars pajamas. I am grateful to have friends I can stay connected with through the overworked internet. I am grateful to have a neighbor I adore with whom I can swap desserts, cookies, and bottles of wine. I am grateful that I can talk to my mom and dad every day. I am grateful I can see my older kids’ faces and talk to them from across the continent. I am grateful that my younger children are thoughtful, kind human beings who make it easy to be with them all day, every day. I am grateful that I can still do my work. I am grateful for my animals. Really, who is worthy of the unconditional love they offer? I am grateful for the opportunity to recognize what’s truly important in my life.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Anonymous

Monday Musings 1-27-20

My son came home yesterday afternoon shocked and saddened, as I’m sure many of us were by the news yesterday. He asked me why he felt so bad over the loss of someone he didn’t know, someone famous certainly, but a stranger. Here are some thoughts I shared with him.

It’s okay to mourn. They touched our lives, whether because of their artistic talent, their humanitarianism, their leadership qualities, or yes their athletic prowess. They represented an ideal - one that says commitment to excellence matters. They gave us something to strive for, something to admire, or something to simply enjoy. We welcomed them into our hearts and homes. We cheered for them, sang their songs, watched their movies, or admired their passion. And now they are gone, and it hurts.

Does it hurt more than a close personal loss? Of course not. Are these celebrity lives worth more than any other? Of course not. Can we still feel shocked and sad? Of course we can.

When we feel empathy for another family’s tragedy, we do so not only because we can imagine being in their shoes, but because we truly feel sorrow for them. Our ability to hold another’s grief, to walk beside someone in pain, even if it’s from afar or only in our hearts, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful things about being human.

Compassion, empathy, love. They’re what will save us in the end.

“Empathy is a tool for building people into groups, for allowing us to function as more than self-obsessed individuals.” - Neil Gaiman

Monday Musings 3-25-19

One of my sweet kitties died this weekend. I’v written about this guy before and posted many pictures of him on social media. He’s the one who always seemed to know when I needed a little extra love. One of his favorite spots was sprawled next to my computer on the kitchen table, sometimes even on top of the keyboard if he thought I needed a break.

The thing about pets is we know they’re going to break our hearts. Their short lifespan pretty much guarantees we’ll have to say goodbye to them before we’re ready. But the unconditional love they offer to us, and their quiet, unwavering presence in our lives makes the sadness worth it.

As hard as it was to watch my furry friend fade away over the last few weeks from kidney failure, I got to take good care of him and hold him when he passed. Hopefully, I gave him back some of the comfort he brought to me over the last couple of years.

RIP sweet Bede. You will be missed.