About a month ago, after a long day at work, my husband turned to me with genuine concern and asked, “How are you doing with all of this? Especially, since you can be a little Howard Hughes-ish?”
Not only was it a great question, but it was endearing. For years now he has boarded planes with me and watched as I pull out the disinfecting wipes, clean everything within reach, and turn off the recirculated air. By his own admission, he has not been sick after a plane flight in years, thanks to my tireless decontamination efforts. {I rest my case!}
I said, “You mean with the COVID-19 issues?”
He said, “Yes, I mean with the news about this virus, does it make you more nervous?”
I closed my eyes for a minute to really think about how I was feeling - mind and body.
I opened my eyes, smiled, and let out a little chuckle. “You know, I think I’m actually relieved! I feel so relaxed right now, probably because more than ever, people are finally washing their hands and trying to practice better hygiene.”
His question and my reflection brought such great personal awareness to me.
In Part 1, I promised to share some of my favorite personal lessons to-date, gleaned during the COVID-19 SIP (shelter-in-place). I hope some make you smile and some give you pause… pause to think more deeply about what your dreams really are… your dreams for your life and your relationships.
My Personal Life Lessons {how they actually sounded in my head}:
Viruses actually do spread the way I thought… see everyone, I’m not that crazy after all!
God, you are giving me the opportunity to re-order my life. Don’t miss this, girl!
My normal life schedule is too busy and too consuming! You have too little time for your spouse and even less for yourself. It is time to let some things fall away. Less is your 2020 word for a reason… time to make Less happen!
And my personal daily favorite… courtesy of my husband {and his brilliant question}:
Don’t ever stop being a student of “your people” … of those you love!
So often in life, we grow into familiarity with others. With our families and spouses and even friends. We think we already know them. We make assumptions about how they are, how they think, and what they feel. But this completely overlooks one of the greatest gifts God has given each one of us… the gift of transformation and growth. We all have unique paths that change us throughout our journey.
What if we left room to be awed and inspired by the people to whom we are closest?
Do you think, act, speak, and believe the way you did at 5? I hope not. What about age 20, or 30, or even last year? Or what about last month before our nation was beginning to understand what “pandemic” really meant for life as we knew it? The point is, we accept that we (ourselves) change and grow, and most of us actually seek that for our lives. But, sometimes we forget that those around us do too.
What if we left a gracious sacred space to rediscover who that person is actually becoming? What if, moving forward, we left room to be awed and inspired by the people to whom we are closest? What if you made the intentional effort to daily learn something new about someone you loved?
How would that change you? How would that change them? How would that change your relationship?
Patti
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