There has been a growing sense of solitude in the last few months, and we find comfort in watching screens. Yet, how are we really doing? 

I share this text that really hits the spot. It was written by my perfectly imperfect friend Rebecca. Savour it to lift your spirits, and to call for gentleness. I hope it will warm your heart a little. ❤

Moving on.

Just woke up to the not-so-gentle stomps on my hair, courtesy of my youngest child, right after the oldest bashed his toes on the door frame. Drag my feet to the coffee pot. Cut fresh fruits, pour cereal in a bowl, put bread in the toaster—do you want your toast cut, like, diagonal? Take a sip of that hot beverage. The kids sit and wind down for breakfast. 

Moving on. Time to test the waters—on the smartphone, that is. Weather, headlines, family schedule. Cast a glance at social media with red eyes still full of sleep.

Moving on.
Some people’s mornings look quieter. Better organized. Less chaotic. Her kitchen is so clean. Her children eat that food. She bought clothes from that brand. And so they look like that. 

Moving on, the questioning and fears start flying around the room.

Should I...?
What if I did...?
And if things were different...?
If only I had more. Or less... Or better?
If only!

I look up almost instinctively.
The oldest asks for a third toast. The youngest requests yogurt.
Now for a quick look at the kitchen: it’s already a mess.

How do they do it?

How do they make the time?

There’s yet another question.

What really happens behind the scenes? 

We must grant ourselves permission. 

Permission to challenge, to turn the camera 180 degrees, to question the very notion of seeming vs. being.

And, most of all, we must grant ourselves permission to choose.
The right to choose to whom or what we want to subscribe. The right to distance ourselves, whether by unfollowing (instant satisfaction) or by taking a very long screen break.

Life is lived without filters, even though we often give in to the urge of applying filters everywhere. 
This everyday life, albeit tinged with imperfections, is deeply ours. It is unique. Let’s focus on gentleness, sweetness and simplicity.

Is it simple?

Not always.

Moving on.
We take a sip of that now cold beverage, and we smile at what’s been given to us.

What we built together. 

And in the end, that’s how it is, and how we want it to be.

 

Author : Rebecca Cloutier