Rythms of Life

Words like peace, serenity, quietness, slow, and restful aren't words to describe many of our lives. Those words are replaced with frantic pace, rushed, loud, busy, on the go. This is especially true with kids.

We as a family have been forced to slow down, physically we can't go at a hurried pace. As much as we would want to be involved in many more activities, relationships, and other forms of busyness we can't.

I have recently been reading about the concept of Sabbath rest. The idea that God created the world in six days and on the seven day rested. That is a novel idea, an idea of letting the busyness of life go for a day and spend in a relaxed mode. Even in the context of a day I have had to the ask the question when do I recharge?

In the life of a parent of a special needs child rest is a concept hoped for yet not realized most of the time. What we as a family have found is slowing down to a Kyle's pace. Going to the store or out to eat takes much longer now due to unloading and loading the wheelchair. We aren't nearly as "productive" with our time as we once were. But things go much more smoothly when we realize that we move slower and are patient through the process.

Jill and I have joked many times older people can only do one thing a day. I.E. her gandparents would plan their day around going to the dentist, or going out to eat for lunch. But those wouldn't happen in the same day.

I guess we have arrived at that stage of life earlier in life. As we have begun to patiently and slowly move in life the results have become more peaceful and restful.

The different issues of our lives haven't changed. We still have as many worries, and problems as we did before but our attitudes have changed. Sitting at home all day on Saturday is not unproductive. It isn't regretful if we really don't have a plan other than relaxing, and enjoying each other.

As we continue to understand our rythms of life it has brought us much peace and the frustration level has dissapated.