Processing…

There are a LOT of devastating situations going on with all this. I truly feel for the people who’ve lost their job, are living on a very limited income or savings, are worried about the health of elderly or compromised family members, whose small business may or may not survive. This still feels like a bad dream in so many ways – I keep waking up hoping it’s just one longggg, bad dream, but it’s not. It’s here to stay, for the foreseeable future.

As a mother, my heart is breaking for my youngest. RIGHT NOW was to be her best time of her life… her final few months of high school with her friends, her senior season of varsity softball, her senior prom, her graduation. These are all huge milestones that she’s looked forward to and worked hard towards her whole life so far. And they’re gone for now – maybe forever. 

My college freshman had 1/4 of her freshman year taken from her. No warning…just came home for Spring Break only to not go back. Her dorm is still set up and ready for her and her suite-mates to come back – they are all out of state so she won’t see them again until *hopefully* August when they move into an apartment together. So much uncertainty. Sadness. Loneliness.

I’m trying to enjoy these days with my girls as I know it’s a huge blessing – I did not anticipate this time we get to spend together as a family now – but the guilt of enjoying that at the expense of what they’ve both lost makes it hard for me. 

Try to be positive, parents! Don’t diminish your kid’s feelings. They really did have the rug pulled out underneath them. Love on them. Grieve with them. Show them that  love will get them thru this. They are not alone, even though it definitely feels like it right now. Let them know that.

My heart breaks for you all. May you come out of this stronger and more compassionate than ever.

May we all support each other, help each other, and when this is over, have a deeper appreciation for life, love, family, friends and the environment.