From Chaos to Clarity

When I contemplated what my next book should be about, I knew instantly who my target audience would be—young mothers. I also knew what the book would be about—the inner teachings of Covid-19—or as I like to refer to as the art of pausing.

It would be a manual, or rather a how-to book, on things like taking the time to actually go pee with the door closed (while your kids screamed and poked their tiny hands through the bottom space of the door). It would teach women how to feel less guilty about drinking their coffee á la hot, before helping their kids pour milk into their bowls filled with Cheerios. It would be about implementing the importance of me time, breath work, yoga, and meditation practices.

I resisted the darn pandemic for the longest time before I realized I had some damn good writing material on my hands. So I chose to embrace the time for what it actual was—a two-year hiatus from the normal lives we knew. We were experiencing something unprecedented in our lives—unexpected school and daycare closures, virtual Christmas and piano concerts, virtual home offices, mandated masks, and one too many zoom meetings . . .

I couldn’t make this stuff up if I wanted to!

I also had to come to terms with the fact that I couldn’t leave my life behind when things got tough—my short flight to Hawaii would have to wait. Instead, I chose to fully embrace everything Covid-19 was bringing to the table, literally. Amidst the loneliness, therapy calls, and sometimes sheer lack of eagerness to get out of bed some days, I was finally cooking real meals for my family. Prior to every home-cooked meal, I was now setting the table with the works—napkins, utensils, and plates. I was using the table I so desperately wanted to utilize just a few short years ago, but never seemed to have the time to.

Our blasted friend we all despised—Covid-19—wasn’t all bad. She was like a modern day renegade female monk, bringing quiet, slow, and joy into our lives, too. I couldn’t pause during the pandemic, but I could make the decision to breathe deeply, slowly, and with purpose. It was a real eye-opener. I also couldn’t slow down the kids from growing up too fast.

Bentley was growing out of his jeans and shoes faster than I would have preferred. Weston was reaching milestones in preschool that he should have only been able to understand in Kindergarten. Our boys were transforming into the young men I was hoping to raise, but faster than I was ready for.

The crack in our universe was teaching us how to pivot quickly, normalize unwanted change, and update our old—and not always right—way of doing things. Apparently, the secret to leading a joyful life was within me all along. I just needed a silly pandemic to slow down my world to finally see clearly.

When my grandkids ask what this time was like, I know exactly what I’ll say. I’ll toss this book you’re holding in their laps and tell them it wasn’t all bad. You see, I figured out how to calm the f*ck down during a global pandemic and so can you.

And so our story together begins.

I’ve set the table for two, won’t you join?