Disconnect to Connect: A Challenge

Today, I am going to take a break from my regularly scheduled programming.

This is not about fashion.

Or lipstick.

It’s not even about shoes. I know. Shocking.

It’s about life.

Let me start by saying that I hate roller coasters. Even metaphorical ones. Especially metaphorical ones. And lately, I’ve been on a roller coaster.

Some days, I react by channeling my inner ostrich, and hiding from the world. Other days, I put on my “I’m-a-mommy-and-I-got-this” hat and plow right through.

But every day, I pray. I pray for peace. I pray for perspective. I pray for patience.

I pray a lot for patience.

And I disconnect to connect.

I’ll explain. This idea, like many of my better ones, came from my sister.

I turn off the cell phone. And the IPAD. And the laptop. For one hour.

And I play.

I listen to long-winded stories about ladybugs.

I get into the pool even when I just washed my hair and the temperature isn’t quite right.

I cuddle. A lot.

I find pretty boxes to hold sequins and sparkles and the little “goldens” that Eva collects.

I read to Lola. And listen to her read.

It’s like pressing a pause button on my roller coaster. It forces me to stop planning and projecting and focus, for a moment here and a moment there, on the good stuff.

So that’s the challenge. Turn it off. An hour a day.

This isn’t about judgment. It’s about pleasure. It’s about soaking up as many of those summery sweet moments as you can before this brief season is over, so that you can store them up and relive them later.

Moments like this one.

One hour a day. Who’s in?