During times of crisis when we can’t control the chaos of the world around us, I am always reminded of an article I read nearly two decades ago written by a woman who was a child during a period of unrest in Iran in the 1980’s. The family was in fear of the father leaving for work each day and the children leaving for school, but they had to leave each day anyway. The writer’s memories of that time, however, centered around how her mother made their home a place of peace. She couldn’t control the outside world, but she could do something about the place they returned to each night.
We are only now slowly emerging from a once-in-a-lifetime quarantine that began nearly three months ago in response to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). As we cautiously begin to return, the country has broken out in protests and riots as a result of the death of George Floyd who died mercilessly at the knee of his arresting police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The news is bleak and heart-wrenching day after day. The world seems to be in chaos. As a law enforcement and prior military wife and mother of four, world events always affect my family. I can’t control the world but our home can be a refuge.
This period of quarantine has been a blessing in so many ways. It began just days after the adoption of our two youngest children after another monumental four year period of life in foster care. Through it, we have been able to enjoy more family time than we had in several years.
They have enjoyed playing outside, adventures in the woods, swimming, learning to ride bikes without training wheels, crafting, Legos, hands-on school, afternoon read-alouds together with Mom, and gardening with us in the evenings.
As sad as it has been that Emma has missed her graduation and prom activities of her Senior year, we have also had more of her around before she leaves and joins her big sister at college in the fall.
I want more than returning to normal after all of this time of respite from the outside world. While educators do the unenviable task of figuring out how to safely teach children in the fall and universities decide if communal living has a place in this new situation, we are coming home once again.
I’m excited to bring two little healing hearts home to learn using their interests and learning styles to fuel their education. Most of all, I am grateful for the time to draw close to God and lead them along His path as they continue to discover the world around them and thankful for a husband who gets me and supports my need to follow a good rabbit path every now and then instead of staying on the most traveled ones.
