This editorial is a direct result of me having said YES when I was asked to be editor of the month. This was one of the first YESs I had given in over a year. COVID cleared my evenings, my weekends and lessened many commitments. Now I find myself bracing for re-entry into post pandemic life and missing the forced slow down COVID brought.
Prior to COVID I was a mom, wife, realtor, volunteer who moved hour to hour from one appointment to the next commitment, shuttling children and managing full social weekends. I thrived being busy, enjoyed being social and excelled managing our perfectly timed schedule. But now as I face re-entering that life I find myself asking, how am I going to do this and why? Was I actually thriving before?
COVID eliminated all that business, slowed me down and immersed me in quality time with my family. I enjoyed it and would argue I thrived in it. I said yes to impromptu game requests, I called that friend I hadn’t in a while, I started and finished home projects, cooked new meals and read more books. Of course, there were things I missed like Sunday family dinners, time with friends and traveling, but with the new time I had I was able to focus on myself and my family in ways I hadn’t before.
Now as I brace for re-entry into “normal life” I find myself slipping into my previous habits, raising my hand to say YES, shuttling kids to activities and scheduling social gatherings; I’m busy again. I think many of you can relate to these emotions. While we find our new balance, I think we need to remember the lessons we learned and remain focused on what brings us fulfillment. Our health is the most critical commodity; we can get by on less, we can enjoy staying at home, and family time is a gift. We need to use our time wisely, commit to things that bring us joy or make our world a better place and enjoy the little things, because life is really comprised of lots of little moments.
Krystal Holmes
Editor of the Month