This week we were supposed to be in Florida for spring break. We planned it about nine months ago, and we’ve been looking forward to the break ever since. Instead, the kids spent the week trapped at home and I’ve been sprinting for the finish line on a book. No beach. No break. I know so many people who have canceled trips and plans and haven’t seen family in ages. And that’s outside of those who are sick and suffering the ones taking care of them. It seems there isn’t a place that this virus doesn’t touch or a person it hasn’t impacted.
Needless to say, the corona virus has created lots of FEELINGS of the capitalized variety in my home, as I’m sure it has in yours.
So in the midst of all of this confusion, we’ve been working on stating our feelings. It sounds so simply, doesn’t it? But the truth is, no one wants to state our feelings. No one wants to admit we’re sad about missing the beach or about work or about school or about missing friends.
For some reason I feel like when I leave those things locked up, they won’t hurt or disappoint. But that’s not true. The pain is still there, it’s just buried and bubbling under the surface.
So we’ve begun saying the feelings. So simple, yet healing. I miss fill in the blank. Fill in the blank is especially hard for me today.
OWN IT. SAY IT. NAME IT AND CLAIM IT.
These are phrases I find coming out of my mouth often, most often directed at myself. I learned years ago that I have to feel the feelings and let them out. But in a time like this, those skills tend to fail. I revert to hunkering down and barricading myself. But that is an unhappy place to be.
So I hope that as your family survives this hard time, you’re able to find your way through to some sunshine and happiness. Because let’s not deny this is HARD. Let’s say it. Let’s shout it. And then maybe, by the grace of God, we’ll be able to move through it.
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We are trying to say it out loud at our house too. So many things are hard, but so many blessings to be found and stated. We’re together. We’re safe. We’re healthy. We’re saved.
I have thought of Kara so many times in the last 2 weeks. I think she would have struggled so much with the quarantine.
We were supposed to leave for our first camping trip of the year tomorrow. We made the reservations months ago, we’ve been looking forward to it since the end of last year’s camping season. We don’t get out much (even before the shelter-at-home orders) so camping is our escape… we’re feeling especially trapped right now.