As I’m sure it’s clear to you during these COVID times, everyone has a different comfort level around contact with others. And as some are loosening the reins around physical distance, we’re having to make choices about what we’re all ok doing in our family. As I mentioned in The Art of Disappointment: It's Not You, It's Me, our family is not at all interested in shaming people about what makes them feel safe. But what’s occurred to me is that, even in our own home, there are varying degrees of comfort with socializing and making plans with other people.

These are the 3 things I need to remind myself before making family plans:

1. Pause. Right now, invitations that used to be easy yeses for our team, have gone back into the Important to check first pile. That pause allows us to touch base with each other and has saved us from a lot of potential arguments. 

2. They’re not just my kids, they’re our kids. Just because something makes me uncomfortable, doesn’t mean the kids shouldn’t do it. Expressing my feelings and concerns is important, but there are going to be times when I just have to trust that G is operating in the best interest of the kids as well. In other words—The most scared parent doesn’t have the only vote. I do however have to disappear and cry into my wing a little when I don’t get to keep my baby chicks in our nest. But I recover...eventually.

3. Faith. We’re talking about a germ here people. I can’t think of anything in the world I am more powerless over. If anyone witnessed me (pre-corona, of course) on the Cross Sound Ferry with four kids—you wouldn’t question my healthy fear of germs. I don’t get seasick, but I do get kids & ferries sick. You would too if you had to watch four tiny people make very, very, very poor decisions concerning their body parts and their mouths. But come to think of it, that nasty voyage across Long Island Sound actually served as the best Pre-Corona Boot Camp a girl could ask for. I did my best on that boat to keep everyone safe, but then I had to Let the heck Go.

I’ve never experienced a pandemic before, and I’ve never in my life had to figure out how to re-acclimate during a pandemic. I’ve already had exchanges with others that I thought I’d be ok with, but once they happened, I started feeling uncomfortable. I think that’s just what this is going to look like as I navigate this new territory. I’m going to misstep. I’m going to have, Why did I think this was a good idea? moments. I’m going to have, Why did HE think this was a good idea? moments. I’m going to mess up, and so is everyone else. We’re all doing the best we can and that’s just going to have to be enough for now.

And I’m so sad to share this but, I have to make ferry reservations again. Thank the Lord Almighty that now we can just STAY IN OUR CAR!

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