I have to admit something to my readers…I AM GUILTY! I seriously am a hypocrite right now. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect of me typing that long blog title, hearing the pizza delivery guy knock, simultaneously hearing him hacking up a juicy cough as I’m walking to the front door (which everyone keeps saying it’s actually a DRY cough to worry about so technically I was always ok) as I judgmentally opened the door thinking “CORONAVIRUS, LYSOL, HOLD YOUR BREATH, CORONAVIRUS, TOSS THE PIZZA, LYSOL, DON’T BREATHE, WIPE DOWN THE DOORS, CALL 911, CORONAVIRUS!” I cordially thanked the delivery driver with a forced smile, shut the door, and opened the only container of Lysol wipes my husband was able to seize at the nut-house grocery store last night (which I’m referring to the people, not actual nuts because I’m sure they were completely out of those). In a PANIC, I wiped down the outside of the cardboard pizza box, the front door handle he touched and the one I touched after touching the pizza box he touched, and then I couldn’t stop wiping down ALL things….the bathroom sink faucet handles, bathroom door handles inside and out, kitchen faucet, counters, pizza box again, the credit card I used to order the pizza, my cell phone, my husbands’ cell phone, every remote including the real one I had given the baby so he would leave mine alone, the keyboard I am typing on now…COMPLETE STATE OF PANIC! Now don’t get me wrong, I truly believe that cleaning often, especially when you know someone is sick, is necessary. I’m not coming down on myself for having the right idea of sanitizing, but it’s the way I went about it. Unfortunately, it’s hard to prevent an immediate reaction of PANIC, and even more difficult to stay in a common-sense-zone, especially when we tend to hyperfocus on the media and hear-say opinions. Remember back in the day, the “telephone game?” Exaggeration and false truths are almost always a guarantee.
Why do we listen to every little thing that is thrown out into the media world and let it depict our beliefs or reactions? I’m not saying everyone does that, but obviously I have let it grab ahold of me in some way, shape, or another. I have a mom-purpose to demonstrate behaviors that I feel are important for my children to learn. If I chaotically react in any concerning situation, I am showing them that it’s the norm, and chances are they are going to operate in the same manner, with an added bonus of unnecessary anxiety.
My sister shared a story on Facebook this morning that pulled my heartstrings so much I was sitting in my recliner bawling at the thought of it. The article was titled: ‘Today I cried. Not because I’m stressed out or scared. I cried because of a 92-year-old man.’ Woman says ‘forget about the 75 rolls of toilet paper you think you need and think about the 92-year-old.’ First, grab a box of tissues (which you may or may not have depending on how early you were able to get to the store), and do yourself a favor by reading this article. Click Here to read this story submission exclusive to Love What Matters. The biggest thing I got from this story is the result of what it means to allow PANIC to take over, and that result is a complete lack of compassion. I want my children to always think of others, and as a mom, my purpose is to carry that out, especially in times like this recent chaos.
As I opened my bible yesterday to do my daily devotion, I was once again reminded by my daughters’ beautiful soul of what truly matters. I found a note that she had written: “My biggest wish in my heart is that my family will always stay healthy and strong, and keep growing together, and that the Lord will always be with me, and I will always be a big Jesus follower.” How is it that my 10-year-old has her heart and mind exactly where it should be? Just yesterday her school announced that Spring Break will add on another 2+ weeks because of what’s going on with everything. She said she really doesn’t understand why people are acting so crazy. Kids at school are making up all kinds of scary stories (there’s that “telephone game” again) and she just chooses not to let any of it bother her. I wrote a song about her a few years ago called "Every Song." (Click Here for YouTube lyric video). My favorite line is this: “It may be crazy for your mama to say, but I hope to be just like you one day.” As we get older, we tend to lose that light and innocence that makes being a child so special. The truth is, we don’t have to lose it completely. Yes, as parents, our biggest job is to care for our children, so that of course brings a whole set of duties, responsibilities, and “adulting.” But we don’t have to lose faith, kindness, and compassion.
Going back to the note my daughter wrote. The page I found it in was Psalm 46:1 and I couldn’t think of a better verse in this current time. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” I believe that no matter what trials we face, through our deepest fears or darkest times, God is always right here next to us. Don’t PANIC. Yes, be mindful and smart by keeping a BALANCED stock of home goods and supplies, let’s say enough for a week or two, but you can’t possibly eat enough to create enough poop to need as much toilet paper as this world has in their closet currently. Be caring and compassionate, such as giving some of that overstock of TP to people that actually need it. Be comforting to your children in the words you choose and your tone, which means not calling your friend on the way to the grocery store stampede in complete hysteria that the world is ending, while your children are hanging onto every word you’re saying. Wash your hands. Make sure your children wash their hands. DEFINITELY make sure your husband washes his hands, in which you’ll need to go wash your hands again after putting the toilet seat down that he left up again. Most importantly, if you and your kids have some extra time off, ENJOY this time together! If you are obsessively worrying about the #coronavirus, or anything else for that matter, this “longest spring break ever” will be over, and you will have missed an amazing opportunity to spend quality time together! So DON’T PANIC, and go love on those babies!
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