My soul is full

 the past few months have been difficult. the loss, anxiety and frustration is sometimes overwhelming. i have never felt the weight of the world as much as i have in the last several months. so much pain, so much injustice, so much uncertainty...

 none of the outside forces changed today but I held the hand of a three year old (wore my mask and he wore his) and we walked. we talked about sticks and driveways, we talked about flowers and trees with faces. we talked about all of the nicknames he has from various family members and we walked...a long way. IT WAS GLORIOUS! I gave him a big bear hug then he went home and I came inside and washed my hands. 

 the injustice is still there, the weight of it is still heavy, i still don't have certainty about what's going to happen next but wow! it's worth trudging through all of it to look at his big beautiful eyes, to hear his sweet voice and to hold his precious hand. 

I love you, bubby! Thanks for helping me see the world through your eyes today. 

Life is different than I thought it would be...

Life is different than I thought it would be...
Well, isn't that the truth! Who in the world would have predicted 2020?!?

Who in their right mind would think that we'd be staying home..no really STAYING HOME all the time.

Who could have imagined a world where I would enter a bank, a grocery store, or the hardware store wearing a mask and dodging strangers to make sure we don't come close to one another?

What kind of person would imagine that our communities, our families, our friends would be so divided and unable or unwilling to see from the point of view of the "other"?

So, life isn't as we planned. I'm not doing the thing I thought I'd do forever. I'm not snuggling my grandbabies, going to all the crowded places that I love, or having coffee with friends. The list of things I'm not doing is long...and yet.

I am able to:
→ take time to learn about and listen to the point of view of the "other"
→ consider the beauty of an evening walk or a drive with my husband
→ see my grandbabies, even if it's at a distance
→ appreciate all the ways that my needs are met
→ have long and deep conversations
→ express gratitude
→ remain hopeful
→ show compassion to people with whom I disagree
→ remember that this too shall pass...try not to miss all the amazing things about 2020.