Wednesday, February 10, 2010

In Snow Time

One nice thing about this series of snow days we've been having is that it has forced us to S-l-o-w D-o-w-n!  I know this is important. But sometimes I forget that it is important. Slowing down, doing less, spending more time paying full attention to what we are doing: it is SO important. For Oliver, I think it is one of the more important things that we do to help him get on in this world without a whole lot of frustration. I've also come to believe that it is a vital part of my own mental health. And it just plain helps me to be a better parent. I mean, just because women are good at multi-tasking doesn't mean that we can and should multi-task. At least not every waking moment.

So that's what we've been doing this past week, a whole lot of living moment to moment. In retrospect I see that it took a few days to calm down. It took some time to just relax into the stillness of the world around us. Today was day six of our snow-bound program and I think we got it just about right. Nothing was rushed. I wasn't obsessively checking my e-mail, desperate for outside contact. And I'm so far from feeling cabin-fever that I was disappointed today when we didn't get all the snow they had warned about. Sitting together with my kids in their room this afternoon, cheeks still rosy from sled-riding, I was totally filled up.

Tomorrow we will start easing back into the wide world of snow-plowed streets and obligations. I hope I remember that just because I can do everything it doesn't mean that I should do everything.

But to remind me I will wake up to these lovely stained glass hearts that the boys and I spent the afternoon making. Before he fell asleep tonight, Sami insisted that he and Oliver decorate the window next to my bed so that I might wake to their sight in the morning.

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8 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:20 AM

    It's so true. I think I'm just not cut out for juggling too much at once. I am happiest when we move slowly, taking our time as a family, marching to the beat of our own drum.

    Lovely post.

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  2. Oh, I love the hearts on the window. It HAS been good, this being forced to slow down. I wonder - has it made a difference with Oliver's sleeping?

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  3. I wish I could say we slowed down during all this snow; we actually plowed ahead (bad pun!) on a home improvement project, taxes, and some future planning. I'm so ready for my husband to get back to work!

    Today is a really stressful day for me; short sleep, too much to do, etc, etc. The last part of your post...about the hearts and the boys insisting on decoratin gyour window? STOPPED ME IN MY TRACKS AND MADE ME CRY. In a really, really, REALLY good way. Such a reminder about what 's important.

    Love. xo

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  4. There is so much wisdom there ... thank you for the reminder. And I love those hearts -- they're so pretty!

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  5. I've been winding down - or re-pacing[?] myself too. Probably just old age for me.

    Love those hearts in the window, just shows what we can do when we slow it down a bit.

    I also know the half panic of checking e-mail as isolation can still be brain numbing.

    Pity we have to come out of hibernation in some ways.

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  6. Ha! My 'security code' thingy read 'coldfeet'

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  7. Anonymous3:13 PM

    thank you for the reminder. yes. slowing down. hee hee. i forgot!

    those hearts are so beautiful on the window. they look like they're dancing in mid-air.

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