This Week

Well, some of you have expressed interest in hearing about this week, in The Calm Mommy Blogger’s house, and so here we go.

As most of you already know, it has been sick week here, for me and half of my family. I got it worst with being sick since Saturday night, in bed until Friday pretty much, and still feeling sick and unwell even now, as I write this.

So we are not going to glorify things here. Some people picture me with this calm halo over my head and imagine me dancing through all situations. But this week, I was just out of it. Like, topsy-turvy everything feels upside down and you can’t even focus out of it. I didn’t think about praying for two days, and since it has been part of my morning ritual for 30+ years, that is saying something. Didn’t even cross my mind. Didn’t brush my teeth for two days and didn’t notice. That’s how out of it.

Anyway, you get the picture. So, no, I was not having family snuggles with all the kids around me regaling them with stories as I lay cooped up in bed. And no, I did not even reach for that SuperWoman cape, even once, this whole week.

But something remarkable DID happen. I got to mark how much I have evolved since I was last ill like this. This time, I let myself be ill, I succumbed to what was happening, and I let my family take care of me. This is a really big deal for me. A: because that SuperWoman cape is so far back in the closet and full of dust that I did not even consider putting it on in order to get myself out of bed. And B: because to let them really take care of me - without the guilt and the bad mood and feeling the upside-down-ness of that scenario - is evolution for me. In the past, I may have let them, I may not have even really had a choice, like I didn’t have a choice this time, but I didn’t have to like it. This time, I took it at face value, and I let it be. I allowed them to take care of me, and I allowed myself to be taken care of, and I enjoyed it and went with it, and that is what was remarkable about my week. I am filled with GRATITUDE, for my wonderful husband who kept doing, even though he was also sick, but had more energy than me so did what had to be done. And to our wonderful kids who have learned that family means taking care of each other whenever we need it, and not due to specific roles. To calm and serenity for accompanying us through a VERY HARD week, so the kids were almost always calm, took care of what needed taking care of, and helped us all get through the week with our sanity still intact.

Everything happens for a reason and a purpose and it serves you, and I repeated that mantra often throughout the week. My husband and kids told me it over and over when I cancelled a talk I had. I know this all happened for a reason. And even while yucky sick I was able to be grateful for the flu, and kept perspective. And I don’t need to know why this all happened, really. All I need to know is that this was G-d’s plan for me this past week.

Perpective. It is all really perspective, when it comes down to it. Grow and open yourself to growth and evolution and leave the driving to G-d, and things pass more smoothly in your life.

Here is to a wonderful week.

I will close with two thoughts. To all of you who are feeling healthy and vibrant right now, enjoy that right now. Enjoy your feeling of health. Enjoy not feeling yucky.

And two: when you have a friend who is not feeling well for more than 48 hours, pick up the phone, drop off some soup or fruit salad. Let them know you care. We are all very busy with the running of our own lives, but should never be too busy to pick up the phone to ask how someone is feeling. The flu and being home sick with sick kids in the house can be a lonely affair. Let people know you care.

To a healthy rest of Winter…

With love and serenity,

Devorah

P.S. And since it is Valentine’s Day, I will say this: To all those who have someone to love in your life, cherish them, each and every person you love, each and every day. It is wonderful to have one day set aside for this, but to me, it is like Mother’s Day. Is there really only one day a year to celebrate mothers and motherhood? Every day is Mother’s Day, to a Mom. And every day we should cherish those we love, and allow them to treasure us. Amen.