I almost didn't write this post. 2020 felt a little more like chaos and a lot less like a routine. There were pockets of routines, for sure. In October, I worked out nearly every day, drank my green smoothies, and got more sleep than any other month. And then, November, my children's school went back to virtual learning and I did exactly none of those things. No exercise. No smoothies. Little sleep. There was wine and carbs and cry-sessions on the phone with friends. And yet, I was proud to remain standing at the tail end of a hard year.
On the other hand, missing the rhythms of "normal life" made me realize how special and important they are. How much my kids crave consistency (and how much I crave quiet). The lack of consistency made me realize how much I was worshiping old consistency, rather than allowing myself to be challenged to find new cadences in tricky seasons. And so we did. We created new traditions: my twins slept together nearly every night of this year. A tent was built out of chairs and blankets nearly every week. We frequented the same local restaurant (who had a particular dedication to socially distanced tables and safety precautions). We perfected the art of the ham + cheese + Doritos sandwich (try it, bake it in the oven, thank me later). We did our thing, but it was a new thing. And that was okay.
We allowed ourselves to be soothed by our new rhythms rather than distraught by our old ones that had gone away. What a beautiful thing, to offer the comforts of home and family, to your loved ones, when the rest of the world feels as if its burning down around you. I struggled with a need to control things this year (that couldn't be controlled). I ached for my children to be able to be children, for my quiet work-days to return, for our celebrations that were missed.
And yet, resiliency was born in the place of what was taken.
And so I'll leave you with this third R as we look ahead at 2021. I pray you have a year full of rhythm, routine, and resiliency. Not just the first two. Because what are we without the latter?
xo,
Emily
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