Growing up it’s fascinating how normal life is. You get used to a certain mould where you grow and are shaped a certain way, within your family norms and quirks. Day in and out the macro structure remains the same…. this provides a safety net plus a sense of security and belonging which all kids need to flourish – boundaries. There’s nature which is handed down from your parents, and a bit part, nurture. The way we learn to do things, are encouraged and pushed.
Fast forward (many years) to becoming a mum. What you always knew, shifts, alters and starts over. It’s time for you to now create those sets of norms and quirks for your kids to flourish within. It’s common to pick and choose the elements from your childhood which resonates with you, and in addition, to add new layers and values which you believe fit. Your old norm now becomes your new norm. Remember the days of sleeping in? Going on spontaneous weekends away? A cheeky night at the theatre? New norms set in, and it’s all about routine, naps, poos, bottles, milestones and smiles!
Fast forward (a few years) to living through a global pandemic. Your normal way of life gets shook, what you took for granted disappears and a sense of familiarity fades away, rapidly, scarily. There’s no holding onto what was, there’s only jumping into the deep end with a fresh mind ready to embrace the new. It’s an eye opener, for me certainly. It’s amazing how life seemed to come to a halt. It was like a global sign to SLOW THE F%$#@ DOWN! We were all so busy, so rushed, so wired – we never stopped. We never breathed. We never appreciated. Technology, social media, materialism, competitiveness took over. Nature suffered. We suffered.
I’ve learnt to be more fluid and less rigid. I’ve learnt how important it is to accept and let go. I’ve learnt how resilient we are as humans, no matter whats thrown our way. I’ve learnt and appreciated that there is a sliding scale where it’s OK to shift priorities and boundaries. I’ve learnt that the sun will rise again tomorrow, no matter how dark today may seem. I’ve learnt how important it is to give support and care as we’re all so fragile. I’ve learnt to ask for help and say things suck! I’ve learnt how important relationships and friendships are and that words and communication is vital for our wellbeing. I’ve learnt we all have our own personal circumstances and limitations and nobody should judged anyone else, or compare. I’ve learnt the importance of breathing, in and out. I’ve learnt to slow down, a lot! Life is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Pace yourself. Take time, how ever long that may be. We’ve only got one chance, y’all.
June 9, 2020