So much sadness.
In my complete lack of understanding of how these things happen...I sit and I ponder. I watch the news only for a while. I can't stand what I see so I turn it off. I see things on Facebook that I wish I hadn't scrolled through.
My heart is heavy and my mind is full of fear.
I read a post from a friend this morning that talked about how she feared for her newborn baby. I can remember feeling this exact same way as I laid on the sonogram table on the morning of September 11th, 2001. I was bringing a child...into this world as the world appeared to be falling apart.
There is nothing scarier than fearing for your child or someone you love more than you love yourself.
Fear very easily can take over your entire being.
And then...there is another place we can go...to help with that fear. I know from experience...that bad things happen to good people. I have no idea why. I know from experience that life moves forward after tragedy. I've seen this up close and personal. It doesn't make it easier and it doesn't take the fear away...but, it does happen.
Whenever I get to feeling like I feel right now...I force myself to go to what I childishly call my happy place. I could stay and carry the weight of this heavy burden. I could cry my eyes out and stand protectively over my children's beds at night. I could walk around fearing what might happen next in this crazy world.
Or...I can let go and let God handle this.
And I can go to my happy place. Thankfully in this world, there are many things that make me happy. I thought I'd make a small list so you too can find your happy place.
1. My husbands smile.
2. Hearing my children laugh.
3. A good talk with my Mom and Dad.
4. That moment when I realize my sister and I are thinking the exact same thing...
5. Time spent with my very best friends.
6. Seeing someone involved in bettering the world
7. Having an innocent conversation with my six year old.
8. A good cup of coffee.
9. When my 13 year old sits down RIGHT BESIDE me for no reason at all.
10. Shopping for my boys with my mother in law.
11. Watching my son's cheeks get red with embarrassment when I take a picture of he and his "girlfriend"
12. A hug from just about anyone. :)
13. Memories of my sweet Grandma Katie and her porch swing.
14. Memories of good times in my life...period.
15. The quiet mornings before everyone is out of bed, rushing around for the day.
These are just a few examples...of my happy places. We all have them. We just forget to go there in all of the sadness and confusion. This won't solve the world's problems. This won't take away the sadness...but it helps us cope and gives us the strength to move forward...without as much fear.
Almost every morning this semester in my student teaching, we check agendas for a parent signature. Each day as I am doing this I ask the students how they are and how their night or weekend was. They always answer with either a standard "fine" or "good". The other day, I had a training and was absent from the class. The next day...before I could even ask how his day was, I had a student say this.
"How was your training Mrs. Nelson?"
I was so taken back that he took the time to ask me something like that...and so proud that he had taken the time to think of someone else. That right there my friends...is a happy place.
I once read a book called "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff". In which I totally agree. Small things aren't worth losing sleep over. However...I think we could expand on that concept and say...
BUT...Be SURE to celebrate the small victories...and happy places in your life.
We are praying for Boston. We are praying for Texas. And in doing so, we recognize the importance of our own blessings.
Have a blessed day friends!
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