We just had a semi-normal Halloween. And Thanksgiving. Do we dare hope for a normal holiday season?
One of the few things that kept me sane is knowing this virus outbreak will not last forever. Life will return to normal and, for many of us, it will be a new normal as we emerge from hibernation having reflected on how we want to live our lives moving forward. Rather than putting pressure on myself to lose ten pounds or write a novel, I’m using this time to look ahead and to fantasize about all the things I’ll be grateful for, and all the ways I’ll show it, when all of this is over.
When all of this is over…
My children will have remembered how to play together
Life will be slower and more delicious
Mundane tasks and errands will seem like a joy
Fathers will have a greater appreciation for stay-at-home mothers
Mothers will have a greater appreciation for fathers who share the load
Going to the gym will be a privilege, not a chore
I will take a break from social media
I will not be afraid to watch the news
I will keep checking in on my friends
We will become more community-minded
We will thank every health-care worker we see
I will remember the elected officials who prioritized health and humanity, and those who didn’t
I will have a greater appreciation for the healing power of the outdoors
I will lock the door every night to protect the family, not the toilet paper
We will still play board games
We will still wash our hands. A lot
I will do a better job of supporting local businesses
There will be no more celebrity hand-washing videos
Hair regrowth, bushy eyebrows, ragged cuticles, and talon-like toenails will be socially acceptable
My dogs will have gained 20 pounds
My cats will be enormously relieved
Dinner out with friends will seem like the greatest joy
I will stop waking up anxious and fearful
I will stop going to sleep anxious and fearful
We will never again in our lifetime take human contact for granted
Real home-schoolers will exchange deservedly snarky emails about the rest of us
Anthony Hopkins will keep playing piano for his cat
Netflix will send out a search party for me
I will spend an hour at the library touching ALL THE BOOKS
I will spend an hour at the grocery store touching ALL THE FOOD
I will watch ALL THE LIVE SPORTS
I will end my very toxic relationship with Amazon Prime
Teachers will continue to have my undying respect and gratitude
I will stop turning away from strangers at the grocery store
Hand cream and counter wipes will finally be cheaper than the Hope Diamond
My husband will be sorry he did not allow me to adopt another dog
I will consume wine outside my house
I will stop feeling pressured to sing on my balcony
I never want to see another frozen pizza
My kids will remember how wonderful it was to have their parents all to themselves for days on end
Tagged under: Family life,mom 101
Category: mom-101