It seems like this summer all I have been doing is preparing. Preparations have come and gone for a trip to New Mexico; kids graduating to new homes, or back to their parents; Ms. J coming home; painting projects; and carpet cleaning. I have been working to prepare for an extended trip to Denver during which we will all (seven of us) spend two weeks in therapy preparing our family for the return of Tink by learning new techniques and developing a new way of looking at the process of parenting RAD kids. In the midst of all this I have been preparing flowerbeds, dinners, laudry for washing, daily schedules, a gift for a developing baby, photos for printing, and young minds to become responsible adults. All this "preparing" sometimes leaves me tired and spent; irritable towards my husband for not doing more and frusterated that there is so much to do. What I am repeatedly neglecting is to spend a few minutes each morning preparing myself for the day. All the planning and developing in the world doesn't give me back the preciousness my day holds when I begin it with a goal to be present and intentional with my family... to remind myself that the beautiful young minds that I help prepare for the world get the best "preparation" by watching me hold myself with dignity in the face of adversity, with strength in the face of trials and with patience in the face of messy hands, shoes in the entryway, running in the house and rude voices to each other. I need to remember that when I am short with them, I am preparing them to be short with others.
So, today I have moved slowly... we have played more and prepared less. The carpet is dry but the rooms are not yet tidy. The floors are beautifully prepared, however, and just waiting for the furniture to go back where it belongs. . . . after we are done wrestling on it's emptiness!
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