BACK TO THE MIDDLE

Just the other day, I was reminded of Grammy Award winning, India Arie’s sensational single, “Back To The Middle”.

This memory surfaced, just the other night after a rare and nostalgic family meal – all 6 of us—hubby, 4 teen/adult children and myself, seated together at the dinner table.

The next evening, to top things off, we enjoyed a 15-minute family-room, fire-side chat, discussing our goals for the future.  I was overjoyed listening to the short and long-term goals of my children!  How simply wonderful to just sit together and reconnect.

Could this CoVid-19 crisis be, ironically, for the greater good of us all?  A time to restore balance and find our way back to the middle?

Do you remember the last time you saw so many neighbors walking their dogs? Children riding their bicycles together? All in the same day? Or entire families shopping together. Happily!

I, for one, am beyond delighted to be in the same room with my children as they laugh and joke with one another!  Although, I don’t understand half of their millennial slang, I don’t care!  They are home.  There is laughter.  We are spending precious time together!

Many of us are feeling overwhelmed. We are extremely inconvenienced, irritated, perhaps enraged.  Some of us are growing increasingly concerned for our sanity!

And yet, we are re-discovering connection and creativity. We are cooking, exercising and enjoying music together!  We are sitting at the table, sharing a meal, laughing, enjoying one-another’s company. We are reconnecting!

The other day I Face-Timed my cousin in Mannheim, Germany.  A professor, confined at home with her 2 teen-aged sons, playing card games.  Barely ending week-one of a 5-week lock-down, they are only allowed in public in groups of 2 or less!  I thought, “this could get a lot worse!”  Yet, it was music to my ears, hearing the boys tussle in the background as we finished our video chat.  They were happy together.

Strangely, it seems longer, but barely more than a week ago we were caught up in the hectic pace of everyday life. Overworked. Hectically shopping for things, we didn’t’ need.  Exhausted. Spending too little time with those who truly matter and giving too much time and energy to those who appreciate us the least.

Ironically, what seems devastating, may actually be the perfect opportunity to rediscover lost treasure and restore balance. I am hoping that this forced confinement might bring with its improved sleep, relief of fatigue and exhaustion, fewer aches and pains, and a chance to explore healthier eating.  

Prior to CoVid-19, we may have one day looked back at regrettably irretrievable moments.  Instead, this crisis may prove to be our golden opportunity to hit reset, get much-needed rest, restore balance and begin again.  A time we’ll one day fondly remember as being precious days well spent.

Ultimately, this may prove to be what we all needed to find our way      BACK TO THE MIDDLE.

Stay AWWesome!

Dr. Charisse