Coronavirus Re-set.
Nobody Said Parenting Was Going To Be Easy
[I’m going to preface this Blog-post with a disclaimer. I know everyone is having a rough time right now. I also know that some are having a MUCH ROUGHER time than others. I would never assume that I have any idea what it’s like to walk in anyone else’s shoes. These are just my thoughts on the current state of affairs around the world. No statistics today. No “5 simple ways.” No advice today.]
1) I’m wondering.
I’m wondering if this is all a “Re-set” planned out by GOD. I’m wondering if (to steal a phrase from my grandmother) we got “too big for our britches.” I’m wondering if GOD just said, “Hey! Humanity! Slow down!”
This is going to be hard on the Type A-Alpha personalities. But, being forced into staying at home and being with your family may be the very best thing for you. I mean, I’m not really a Type-A personality and even I find it difficult to just be at home all day. But, here is the thing: WE ARE GETTING OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES.
Isn’t that what expansion and growth is all about anyway? Getting out of your comfort zone? Now we, as Moms and Dads are being forced to interact with, teach, have patience with, love, and play with our children. I mean, why did we have these little creatures in the first place? We can’t just send them off to Daycare and expect others to do the child rearing for us! It’s time for us Dads, and us Moms, to truly embrace being a parent.
I’m thinking GOD is telling us to get our proverbial shit together and figure out what, exactly is important.
2) Why has the U.S. been hit so hard?
First of all, I know that we live in an open and free society. And as such, we have the freedom (thank you God) to basically go where we want, when we want and with who we want. Because of this freedom, I believe, the virus has had a field-day!
But, we must also look at this as a wake-up call. The good old U.S. of A. has the highest adult obesity rate in the world. We have a huge population of already immune compromised adults. The food we eat (and I’m not going to be hypocritical and say I eat clean all the time) is highly processed, not healthful, nutrient deficient foodstuffs. It’s no wonder the Covid-19 virus is having its way with us.
We have GOT TO do better! We have to look at this as an opportunity to change our routines, our diets, our activity levels…or this might just happen again.
3) Find gratitude!
If you are alive (and you must be if you are reading this). If you have wifi. If you have a laptop or desktop or smart phone. If you’ve got food to eat and a roof over your head….you have things to be greatful for!
We have to stop looking at things as “happening TO us.” We need to start looking at things as “happening FOR us.”
I’ll be honest. I’m scared shitless about life right now. My family and I are in the midst of big changes. And, in this environment, things couldn’t be more unsure. Am I going to have a job tomorrow? Can we afford these changes? What if the market/economy/civility doesn’t get better anytime soon?
All legitimate questions. But, I can’t sit back and blame circumstances. I have to act. I have to pivot. I have make something good come out of this.
And, thank God, I have a working brain. I have a working body. I have a working internal drive that can keep me moving forward. I have to give thanks and use these gifts that have been given to me.
Finding gratitude is a hell of a lot better than playing the victim.
There are folks out there in worse off positions than I am. There are people out there that are losing everything. To you I say - KEEP MOVING FORWARD. FIND GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE. You all are in our prayers.
Let’s take this time to reconnect. Let’s take this time to BE PARENTS. Let’s take this time to ENJOY our families.
Let’s also take this time to look at HOW we are living. Let’s clean up our diets. Let’s move more, exercise more. Let’s build more resiliency into our bodies and our minds.
Let’s live with gratitude. Let’s look at what we do have. Let’s look at what we CAN accomplish. Let’s live from a place of possibility and not from a place of victim-hood.