A piece from the children's art museum.

January 2021

I saw a blurb in a magazine showing a family who made a trip to Disneyworld during the pandemic. One of the parent’s quotes said, “At some point you have to start living again.” Living. I found that heartbreaking. What does that word mean for you? Why are you not able to “live” other times without so much excitement or a vacation?

There are so many messages about getting breaks from your family (in particular those with small children). The cynical side of me thinks that most of those who are complaining have never had a child die. They are fortunate and do not know the gift they have. This among other things are lies that have perpetuated in our society. Most of us do not need to stay in the unhappiness cycle.

I define living as constantly learning. I am no longer striving for a grade but knowledge. If I am unhappy about something in my life, I pray and look into why. What can I do to change? Most times the answers are simple. I can phone a friend to discuss, I can read a book, listen to a podcast, change my habits, and I can find information online from a reliable source. Others may need to go deeper with time in therapy. There are options. We do not have to stay stuck in our unhappiness. It may not be easy at first, but it is possible.

I define living as being in the present moment. We hear that this moment is all we have yet few choose to try to live it. These are all things we already probably know. It is hard in our society, but you can do it. Think about how much time and where you spend your time online in particular with social media. I will be sharing more soon with how our family has been living during the pandemic. What are you currently doing that is a creative way to bond with your family?