Be Still in the Midst of Activity

You must learn to be still in the midst of activity, and to be vibrantly alive in repose. --Indira Gandhi, 1917 – 1984

[Editor's note:  This was written  4 days ago but wasn't posted.  I hope you like the sentiments because they're already gone...]

These last two weeks have been quite unique for me for several reasons.  First of all, I’ve had no trips out of town for two weeks straight.  This, unfortunately, is a long stretch for me lately.  And I’ve had the kids for over a week of that time.  (We try to go 3-4 days at a time, but Robb had the kids for a week at a time while I’ve been out of town and he was kind enough to let me do that this time).  Eric has been home sick with mono and is feeling miserable.  And Kyle is stressed about school, college (his first SATs were Saturday) and life in general.  And there was at least one behavioral issue that had to be dealt with during that time. 

So why was it that I THOROUGHLY enjoyed those two weeks?  It was because I wasn’t letting the negatives impact me.  Instead, I was enjoying acting like a “normal” family.  At least our new normal as a different kind of family.  I cooked dinner each night and we sat down and ate it together.  Long talks would ensue some nights at the end of dinner.  Some of them were rough conversations, but some of them were silly and full of laughs.  I think this is what normal is supposed to feel like, even though I don’t experience it all that often.  And I just enjoy my kids that much that I looked forward to coming home to them. 

This quote by Indira Ghandi really struck me as how I was feeling during this time.  Our lives our busy.  I don’t think my friends without kids or full-time jobs or travelling jobs can understand what it is like for me to have all three of those things.  It’s a whirlwind of activity and a constant juggling.  But dare I hope that I’m finding the way to be vibrantly alive in repose?  I’m breathing on the upbeats, creating a syncopation all my own.