How should I prepare for this special time with my family to be over?
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“How should I prepare for this sacred, special time with my family to be over? After the pandemic, everyone will move back to different places and we will no longer be physically together.”
This is such a beautiful question and something I have thought about often. Sacred and special are the perfect words to describe how I have felt with the quality time I’ve had with my husband during this period. I do sometimes feel a sense of dread that this connectedness may come to an end, so I completely understand how you are feeling.
I often wonder what our reality will look like once this is all over—it’s hard to imagine right now. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been so amazed at witnessing how technology has brought us closer with friends and family. I feel we are using technology in the ways it was always intended. I hope to continue to use it for connecting with loved ones from afar, no matter what is happening in the world.
“I’m trying to live in the present as much as possible, taking each day as a new opportunity to cherish the uniqueness of this time and finding what brings me joy.”
I’m trying to live in the present as much as possible, taking each day as a new opportunity to cherish the uniqueness of this time and finding what brings me joy. Have you noticed small things are bringing you joy more than normal these days? Little things like the way the light hits the house or the birds sing in the mornings, precious moments that may have gone unnoticed before. I’m also taking time to discover new rituals. For instance, my husband and I are cooking a lot more, and when this is over, I would love for us to continue to do that together.
It’s rituals like these that don’t have to stop once social distancing guidelines are lifted. If you and your family have created special time together, like cooking or games nights, there’s no reason to stop even if you won’t be in the same house. Again, using technology as a way to continue to be together. It might help to set a schedule that you can all follow and add to the calendar.
“If you and your family have created special time together, like cooking or games nights, there’s no reason to stop even if you won’t be in the same house.”
I’ve been saying a mantra to myself: “Let yourself experience all of this: the good, the bad, the different, and the confusing.” I repeat this when I start to feel like I am focusing too much on the future. The mantra reminds me to stay present and appreciate everything I have now. I know it’s so much easier said than done, but I hope it helps. Enjoy this wonderful time you get to have with your family and take it all day by day.
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Courtney Jay Higgins is the Associate Editor at The Good Trade. She is also a Yoga Instructor, vegetarian, wellness and fashion enthusiast. Originally from Colorado, her soul found California when she came to get her degree in Visual Communications at the Fashion Institute Of Design & Merchandising. She has a background in telling a story through writing, creative direction and content creation. Check out her blog and Instagram for her unique perspective on the mergence of fashion and spirituality.