A First Day to Remember

“It feels daunting”, said my fifteen-year-old nephew as he described going back to school today. A hybrid schedule– two days on the computer, two days in school and a flex day every other week without being able to see all his friends, though grateful three out of his five best friends were in the same A-L alpha order. 

As I continued to listen to him and wanting to connect to him about entering the unknown.  I said, “You know what feels daunting to me.  What will happen in our country after the election no matter who wins.” 

Here’s what I know I can only impact the present moment. The choices right now.  Augustan Burroughs said, “Your mind is an unsafe neighborhood don’t go there alone.”  Easier said than done when your mind feels like a runaway train about some future event that may or may not happen. 

When I continued my conversation with my nephew l said, “Let’s play the worst-case scenario game” I got this from one of my favorite shows, “This is Us.” The game is simple each person takes a turn to share all the bad things that they’re thinking and no matter what they say there is no judgement or censorship.

So, I said, “What’s your worst-case scenario? ” He said, “I’ll get coronavirus, and then my parents will get coronavirus and then we’ll all die.”  Yeah, that’s a pretty bad worst-case scenario and I started with all the things that could happen in our country. (I’ll spare you mine- as I am sure you can insert your own mental list). I then asked, “What is the percentage of that happening?” And he said, “0.1%”

The most important thing to me was that he was sharing his thoughts and feelings with me and not just in his head.  And when I shared mine, I felt a relief- a release being out of my own. The reality is it’s common to worry about things that never happen. 

When I checked in with my sister to see how the first day went. She said, “He’s doing okay thanks. Just a weird first day of school.” 

So, what started as daunting ended with feeling weird.  My sister said it best things just feel “weird” these days like the simple act of greeting another.  And in that weirdness lies the intentionally, the gratitude for what we have versus want and all the things we will look back that were positive though we may not see now. 

Together we journey, (Even if it feels weird at times) 

Louisa 

P.S.  I love to connect, feel free to comment.