I’m not sure about anyone else that reads this, but so often lately I have found myself out of bandwidth. There’s only so much time in a day. With “the boy” graduating and off to college and Princess 1.0 not doing a winter sport, you would think I’d have more available time. Actually, I think I had less. Living fast and furious is no way to spend your days. It takes it’s toll mentally, physically and emotionally. So often I just wish for more time. I wish for a chance to just press pause.
Enter Covid-19
A week ago I was watching UNC play what would be turn out to be the second to last college basketball game of the year. I, like everyone else, watched as tweet after tweet rocked the world with cancellations, suspensions, postponements and announcements. The NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA Tournament, HS Championships and schools closed in a single tweet. Wow. Just wow.
Last night I was sitting in a quiet home and had the following thought…
Perspective – This is forcing many of us to step away from our over-extended, over-scheduled, stressed out normal to one of less distraction. Time with family. Together. Enjoy the silence. Take advantage of the time. Read a book. Do a puzzle. Be where your feet are and choose joy
— Aaron Conrad (@AaronConrad) March 14, 2020
This might sound silly but suddenly we have all been given a “hall pass” for the thing we can all use and that is the gift of time. Maybe it’s a few more minutes at the dinner table. Maybe it’s time to read that book or watch that movie at home. Maybe it’s time to write a post on your long forgotten blog (fingers pointed squarely at myself). I don’t know what it means for you or your family but I do know that we have it. For such a time as this, we have a gift of pause. Use it!
Read a book
Do a puzzle
Play Guitar (or learn to)
Play Piano (or learn to)
Catch up on the “Honey Do” list
Reconnect with your kids (who are home and not running different directions)
Start a new hobby
Exercise
Laugh
Love
Engage
Be where your feet are
Turn off your devices
Connect
You get the idea. In our busy lives, it’s not often we get a chance to course correct. Re-calibrate. Choose today to not see these moments as distraction. Choose joy. Choose to accept this as a gift and embrace the moments. Before you know it we will all be back to exceeding bandwidth
and wishing we had more time.
I agree, but also feel for those who will lose income, possibly permanently. I am self-employed. Two of my jobs are teaching English as a Second Language online to kids in China and adults from around the world. Those are fairly safe. (You never know about Chinese companies…) My third part time job, and where most of my income is from, is teaching piano lessons. For the team being, I’m going online with lessons. I pray that my students go with me, and that their parents don’t lose their jobs. These are uncertain times for sure.