Coming Home to Rhythms
I had every intention of writing during my trip to California. What I didn’t anticipate was how upended I would feel. Most of the time I felt a sense of disorientation and disconnection, unable to process or get my bearings. Hormones, COVID protocols, unresolved issues back at home, and unrealistic expectations were a perfect storm to cause me to operate in survival mode while I was there.
I arrived back home late Saturday night. I got to bed around 1am. I slept in, watched church online, organized/cleaned the house, headed out to a memorial service with my family, and then hosted Sunday Night Dinner for the first time in months. My default setting is “self-preservation”, and so it is unlike me to want to socialize when I feel like I am in survival mode. But I knew that the best thing for me, coming off of a difficult week, was to surround myself with my family, friends, and neighbors. The past two weeks have showed me that I want to live my life, to the last breath, investing in people. I was once told that God’s Word and people’s souls are what lasts, and that was brought again into clear focus recently.
Today I allowed myself a slow start to homeschooling. I had my hot tea and oatmeal in bed, courtesy of my husband. I caught up on my calendar, daily to-dos, and emails. I started a load of laundry. I assigned my boys math problems while I did my Pilates. I ate some leftovers for lunch, and then took a long walk in this glorious Spring weather. I rested for an hour. Soon I will take my youngest boys to swim and then to soccer.
These rhythms ground me and root me when life is feeling so out of control (I am having a recurring dream about tornadoes again!) Home is a sense of safety for me right now. It is giving me space to reorient my heart, strengthen my body, and process my emotions. Creating quiet rhythms here gives me the fortitude to handle the storms of life. Storms will come, and so we must build routines that invite us into health, peace, and connection. A good question to ask ourselves is: “How do I take care of myself body, soul, and spirit daily?” The higher the stressors, the more committed we need to be to our life-giving routines.
Yours for rest + investing,
Aimee