I open up my calendar. A new year. A new month. New days.
I am continuing to make time for rest. I have put aside any ideas for “resolutions” and am simply trying to keep life simple but mostly, meaningful. The holidays can make me a little nutty. The weather patterns and family matters and all the hectic make me want to stay in my pajamas binging Emily in Paris.
But a new calendar and a new year is in and of itself therapeutic. A clean slate and all those other idioms that give us hope.
After a year of so much uncertainty, sickness, and heartache many of us turned the page from December to January and steadily exhaled and breathed out hope for what could be.
The fact that we are all still looking for the joys and holding on to hope is what makes the days worthwhile. And we continue to find joy in the little things, like sticky, sweet syrupy kisses from toddlers and laughable TikTok challenges with teenagers. If I could, I would fill my days with those moments.
I look to the new days with greater intentionality. As mothers we know the days may be long, but the years are short. And if these last few years have taught us nothing else, we know that nothing is guaranteed. I don’t want an epicurean, Carpe Diem, seize the day kind of life.
I don’t want to simply clink our champagne flutes and toast to the good life as if it’s all past tense when I am living in the here and now and raising my kids for greater tomorrows.
I want to be intentional about every step in this race of life. We weren’t made to simply survive, and I don’t know about you, but I have been stuck in survival mode for far too long. Maybe it was COVID, maybe it was fear, maybe it was a lack of resolve that has kept me in this numb, restless, insecure state. It’s time to wake up and move and live. I want to treasure ALL the days. Are you with me?
Treasure the Todays
Our days tend to fall in the same patterns. The monotony and mundane can be mindless and before we know it, days turn to months and time has slipped from our fingers. How can we treasure the same ol’ same ol’? I know the value of today, but in the midst of living, I tend to forget and lose focus.
My sister is on vacation with her young kids and I text her, “Don’t forget to pause, look around and breathe in the glory, look in your kids eyes and see the joy.” Maybe I need to remember that and take my own advice! Take time to hit pause. To look into my kids’ eyes when they are telling me a story. To hug my kids when they walk in the door before anything else. To text my husband just so he knows I am thinking about him. To call a friend and catch up. To breathe in and exhale and be grateful. To find the joy. I know we have 254 other things to do but we have to remember, though the days feel the same, they aren’t. Every moment is new and I know I am going to miss so many of them, but maybe I can pause a moment and treasure a few.
Re-evaluate Normal
If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that we can change how we normally do things and maybe…it could be better. I love traditions and normal and comfortable. But sometimes we need to reassess our normal. What are some normals in your life? Maybe your normal is to pick up the kids from school and get straight to homework. Maybe your normal lately has included bringing home work. Or maybe your normal has become checking your emails first thing in the morning. None of these are bad things at all! Some are simple rhythms or must dos that are certainly acceptable in some seasons. The question is, do you want these patterns to be normal, everyday occurrences? How long has this been a normal for you? Did you intend for a season of a heavy work load to become a normal? Or did it just sorta happen? Of course the kids have to do homework, but when was the last time you took them out for a treat or just sat around the table and played a game or swung on the swings outside and got to homework later? Would it be ok to change normal up some? Would a new normal help you treasure the day?
Be Intentional with your People
Treasure your people. What more can I say? We have all been touched by friends or family lost. We have all suffered through another holiday season of cancelled plans and families missed. We have all missed out on hugging our people. I intentionally calendared time with my people. Week one included one on one dates with my kids and a date night with my husband. Throughout the months I plan to schedule dinner or lunch or wine with a friend. A call to connect with another. A girls night out. Friends over for dinner. Lunch with parents every second Sunday. Picnics. Vacations.
I don’t want to miss out anymore. This is the greatest FOMO…missing out on your own life. Your everyday treasures. So let’s set the table, feast, celebrate and enjoy this life, this year with all the mess and joy to come, and most importantly, treasure today.
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