Shelter at home reminds me of summers when I was a child. When I was growing up every day during summer was the same. We got up, we went to the pool, we stayed there til Mom had to go home and start dinner. Every day Monday through Friday was pretty much the same. And every day ran into the next til there were no days because every one of them was the same.
Shelter at home is like that. Every day the same. I get up, my husband gets ready and leaves for work, I get cleaned up, and I read for awhile so my mind can go someplace else and then I write. My husband comes home…rinse and repeat.
Before everything was the same all the time, I would try to find something each day to celebrate. Most of the time it was something small. I celebrated having a good day at the chiropractic office. I celebrated helping a single client feel better, giving them the gift of escaping pain even if for a little while. I celebrated seeing the moon in all it’s amazing, haunting glory. Stars are also high on the list especially after we have had those endless cloudy nights. And times like now seeing the spring bloomers show their faces letting me know that life continues. Celebrating was more often than not just stopping and appreciating a moment. Acknowledging that life is good.
Sometimes there are celebrations that have dates and events attached to them…
As I was laying in bed the other night I realized I missed my birthday, my first boy scout hike anniversary was almost here and realized my ex-anniversary was coming up. April has always been a month full of dates and celebrations. For me it was a month of spring wildflowers. But there were much more important milestones from my adult life that I typically acknowledge in April.
April 4, 2015 was my first experience with inipi, sweat lodge. Inipi was one of the most impactful things that I have experienced in my life. It is something hard to describe. But it came after a time of great searching and upheaval in my life. I will always remember at the end when we crawled out of the inipi the person who facilitated told each of us as we exited “Happy Birthday”. Inipi is about cleansing and being reborn. It is very healing to the soul and mind. It is sacred space where people share what is hardest to share. There are people who were strangers that I never met before that I am still in contact with because we have a bond from that day.
This is the first year since that I forgot. Normally, I would do a small something – hike in the woods, sage the house, take some me time – to acknowledge and celebrate that special birthday. This year I didn’t do anything to celebrate or acknowledge that important date. It got lost in the coronavirus.
April also contains the anniversary of the beginning of my relationship with my husband. It started with a hike I led for his boy scout troop. That led to me becoming a boy scout. I know it sounds silly but being a boy scout is one of the accomplishments that I am most proud of. And ending up with my husband was pretty cool too.
And finally, today as I write this it is April 28. Thirty years ago I got married to my ex-husband. The marriage lasted 7 years. I never celebrated the day the divorce was official. I know the month and year but not the day. But I always celebrated the anniversary of my marriage. Every year I would buy something for myself to commemorate the day – a book, or a t-shirt I liked, or there was the year that I bought a Michael Bublé CD (good looking guy that could sing for my anniversary). This year with coronavirus and money being tight there will be no gifts to commemorate this year. But I have the best gifts which is why I celebrate today. I have two wonderful daughters that I was blessed with from my marriage. The marriage also was a good learning experience for a young me. I got strong and a little wiser – not enough wiser. I started to have my life where I made the decisions. It helped make me who I am now. And I celebrate all that.
So, trapped at home, quarantined, isolated, sheltering…find something to celebrate. Celebrate the sun shining outside (go outside and feel its warmth), the blue sky and clouds (see what shapes the clouds make). Celebrate being able to slow down and have time with your family. Celebrate being able to call a friend who is home now because everyone is home. Most of celebrating is your attitude and being able to see that in the words of one of my best friends “it is all good”. Hugs.
P.S. Picture is of squirrel corn a new plant that I found on my land at the cabin the other day…another reason to celebrate ♥