I think most of us can remember when the initial onset of the pandemic began, when it became real that life was changing for the time being. For me, it was Spring break for the kids and we decided to take our kids miniature golfing. We actually also had plans to attend the college basketball championships being held in Frisco after writing an article about the tournament for Collin County Moms. It was during miniature golfing that we heard that the NBA had suspended play and that March Madness was cancelled.
For me, that’s when it sank in that this was going to be a big deal. We all know how it continued: stay-at-home orders, school closings extended, then extended again, and finally closed for the remainder of the year. It’s hard to believe that it has almost been a year since that time when that beginnings of “2020” as we now know it began.
My car is where I do some of my best thinking. Somehow there, once my kids are dropped off, it’s like my mind becomes just a little clearer, I can reflect and formulate thoughts on a variety of things. This past week as I was driving in my car after school drop-offs, I started thinking about all that I have learned this past year. We have all seen the memes about how 2021 may be trying to outdo 2020 and we have a long way to go in 2021, but a year since the pandemic began is a milestone.
It’s not all the time when I can see these lessons so clearly (I’ll get to that at the end), but I’m grateful for the times that I do!
Boundaries
For the first several months of the pandemic, the entire family was home 24/7. My husband traveled weekly for work before he started working from home, so it was a big adjustment to suddenly not be going anywhere. We had to revisit routines, household responsibilities, childcare, all the things. We had to improve our communication regarding when each of us would have “time off.” As more of an introvert in a house of several extroverts, I learned to communicate my needs much better. We also got a lot practice holding boundaries as a family when it came to our personal family decisions. This lesson has left me with more confidence in my choices and my ability to say no AND yes!
My Kids
During this extended time where our family was spending much more time together, I had the opportunity to see my kids for who they were becoming. In “normal” life, we were busy with school schedules, after-school activities, etc., so sometimes it was hard to see the “fruits of our labors” when it came to certain things. But with my kids home with me all the time, I was able to see up close their problem-solving skills, empathy, compassion, areas that needed improvement, resilience, the list goes on. While I was seeing those before, this time together felt almost like a magnifying glass to all of those things. There were many moments of heartache for things they were missing, but also many moments of pride for who they were becoming.
Personal Views and Values
In addition to the pandemic, 2020 brought many more events and opportunities to learn and grow. With additional time, I was able to read and listen with greater empathy and understanding. While I have always felt that I knew what most of my personal views and values, throughout this past year I was able to truly sit back and reinforce and even readjust what my personal values and views were. It instilled in me a greater self confidence in myself and the person that I am striving to be. Those experiences are invaluable to me and bring me to my next lesson:
A Clearer Vision For My Future
This year will bring a new change for our family in that, in the fall, we will have three kids in elementary school and one in preschool two days a week. Two days of time that will gradually turn into three, then five, where all of my kids will be in school. In 2020, I felt like I was really able to narrow down the things that I am most passionate about, the things that I truly believe in and hope to have an impact on throughout my life. This knowledge gives me a clearer vision for what my future might hold as new opportunities come up with the time I now have with kids in school. I don’t know specifics, but I feel I am able to see the next few steps.
Hills and Valleys
Lastly, this year of pandemic life reinforced to me that life has hills and valleys. I can say that, like most people, this past year felt like a valley many times, feeling like I was in survival mode more than I would have liked. Then there were sometimes where the clouds parted a bit and I could catch my breath. It was in the moments when I felt I was on top of a hill that allowed me to see the lessons, resilience, wisdom, and life experience I gained from the valleys. One of the things I am most grateful for is a lesson that my mom taught me throughout my childhood: that, all in all, the world is good and the future is bright. It is the hills and the valleys wrapped up together that make up our lives.
What lessons are you able to see in your life this past year? What encouragement can you give to others or yourself during the hills and valleys of life?
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