Note from Nicole ~ Thinking About Thinking

By Nicole Donnelly

I've been thinking a lot about time lately. They say it flies, and sometimes that seems true. As parents, we're pretty familiar with that.

• Facebook memories show me my adorable babies and toddlers, and I can't even believe so many years have passed.

• Every year as I start thinking about Christmas preparations, and then taking down all of the Christmas décor afterward (spoiler alert: it's still up) it feels like we JUST did this. Didn't we?!

• My "new" car is six months old now, but it still feels new to me. It still even has the tiniest hint of new car smell.

But of course we're all familiar with the feeling that time is crawling by, or more accurately, we just can't imagine that things will take as long as they have. Especially when there's no end in sight!

• Covid, obviously. Remember in March 2020 when they closed school for two weeks as a "precaution?" Now here we are, almost two years later, and while we've made some progress, there's still much to be made.

• I have several friends who are working on and working through broken friendships and marriages, enduring pits in their stomachs every day. Somebody suggested "give it a year." A year seemed (and felt) like an impossibly long time.

• I was reminded recently of the period of time shortly after our oldest was born. My husband was traveling 50% of the time for work. The weeks he was gone were so long with a newborn and it seemed that his time away was never ending.

Looking at those last three examples, I see a common thread. I was anxious about those things. I didn't know how they'd turn out. I had high hopes for a cure for the virus, reconciled relationships, and a safe speedy return from 100 work trips. But I just didn't know what would happen and all I could do - all I can do now - is wait.

And raise your hand, please, if you think you're good at waiting? That's what I thought.

There's a lot of unknown right now; a lot of worry, fear, and anxiety. The virus, family tension, relationships that still aren't fixed, jobs that aren't secure - you name it, somebody is losing sleep over it.

I don't know what's going to happen with any of this. But I've been challenged to enjoy what's right in front of me today, and I'm passing that challenge on to you too!

xoxo,

Nicole

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