The power of conversation.
In case you are feeling it too.
I find myself drawn to the keys of the laptop more so after the school drop off. If you have read any of my previous posts, they often start here. A jumble of words collecting in my head that need to be let out in the form of written text. And this mornings thoughts come at a time where we are hurtling our way to Christmas yet I can feel the ebbing of emotions from adults trying to put on brave faces for the children.
In the news this morning I watched, with tear stained cheeks, the news story of three young boys who died falling through ice and a six year old boy who remains in hospital in a critical condition. It seems too cruel that they were playing and now for those families 2022 suddenly looks so very different.
A reminder of how precious life, and our little ones, are.
So as my head buzzed with worries about illnesses within our own family, hospital appointments, operations and trying to make contact with a doctor, I tried to remind myself of what I have. How lucky I am to kiss my children goodbye as they climbed on the school bus.
It is easy though, I find, to let your own problems weave their way into your head space again: despite your moment of gratitude. We can be thankful for what we do have, however that isn’t going to fix the car or make my dad better. What I found to be rather healing this morning wasn’t seeing the sad story of the boys and feeling appreciative for what I do have. No. It was in fact the conversations I had at the bus stop and on the short walk home.
A mix of coughs and varying ailments from other parents.
They're ill.
Their children are ill.
Suddenly there are less than two weeks until Christmas and we can’t keep up with the school admin. Is it today they are meant to be wearing Christmas jumpers? Which school disco is it this week? We laugh about the madness of it all, pleased we aren’t the only ones struggling to keep up.
Then a conversation with my neighbour, as I apologised for the mechanic blocking the drive. “I need to be out in an hour,” my neighbour politely told me. “I have to take the car to the garage.” Ahh you too. It isn’t just our car that needs fixed two weeks before Christmas then.
And suddenly, from these early morning conversations between iced breathes and stamping feet, we came to realise we aren’t alone. Life throws curve balls when we are least expecting it. The best we can do is try and then we know we are doing our best.
This evening I am pushing all thoughts out of my head for at least twenty minutes while the kids enjoy a glow stick bath. It was their advent calendar activity for today and I have found it a perfect excuse to slow down and escape reality, while we find ourselves caught up in the excitement of having a bath that is a little bit different.
So if you are “feeling it” today, or later this week or even towards the end of the month, I am wrapping my arms around you in solidarity.
Maybe you might find it helpful to talk to someone. A parent at the bus stop. A stranger in the street. Your neighbour. A teacher. Colleague. Husband. Wife. Just a line about how you can’t get through to the doctors and the conversation will open up. Even if it is just for a fleeting moment. Offloading.
Perhaps we are all feeling the pain of those parents who have lost their little boys and we carry this burden on our drooping shoulders, as we do with everything else.
Continue to practise gratitude and accept that bad things do happen. That they happen to everyone at some point. What if today is the day someone needs you, to be the one they offload to?
And perhaps consider selling your car. That money grabbing hunk of metal is not welcome just before Christmas.
As always, completely relatable Bethanie. I always make myself available for a chat as I know sometimes you may be the only person they see that day. Hope the Christmas prep is under way. Your tips for being organised have certainly worked and I'm not feeling the stress of it yet. 🎅🎄
Beautifully expressed in words and images. I believe all of us Moms and Grandmas - many Dads and
Granddads, too - share at least some part of what you are expressing. It does help to talk and that is what many of us try to do here. It cannot entirely compensate for the in person conversations we need to be having. But it helps - a lot.