Phetasy News - Acceptance is the Key
Phetasy News - Acceptance is the Key
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Greetings from the Phetaverse!
First, some housekeeping, Write Club will return next week with a couple of writing prompts per week instead of daily so I can keep up, but I’d like to finish the year with what I started. Second, my apologies for the lengthy time away from the newsletter. My vacation was not what I expected, to say the least. I often wish my life was a television show or an Instagram reel and I could have a split screen of what my expectations were for something vs. the reality. In this case, I expected long summer days, swimming in the Atlantic, teaching my daughter how to crab and watching her try to keep up with her many older cousins. I envisioned family dinners and laughter as we passed around a plate of summer corn on the cob.
What I didn’t see coming was COVID. My family member who was hosting us came down with it the day after we arrived and we all fell like dominoes one after another. My daughter went first and it was two days of a bad fever and just as she was getting better, my husband got it, and finally after a valiant fight—I succumbed to the body aches, fever, and a bad cold. Obviously no one wanted to be around us—and because our sickness was staggered, it chewed up the bulk of my vacation.
At certain points during our isolation I had to do my very best not to fall into self-pity. I only see my family once a year. It’s not easy or cheap for me to get away. As a small business owner, I rarely get time off. When I said goodbye to my dad, I cried like I used to after we would see him for Christmas or summer break when my parents were divorced. It’s never enough time.
In order not to completely fall into a pit of depression, I had to face my disappointment head on and come into acceptance. This wasn’t the vacation I imagined, but it’s the vacation I got. While lamenting what could have been, I was missing the beauty of what is. The snuggly, cuddly toddler who just wanted to watch movies. The rainy days. The downtime with my sniffly family unit.
The process of acceptance is always a bit easier when I zoom out and get some perspective. My family was healthy (aside from the flu) and we had a roof over our heads. We had people dropping off food and medicine and making sure we were okay. That’s truly all I need—and it’s crazy how often I forget that.
Thumbnail artwork by Lara Cullen.
Email laracullenstudio@gmail.com to inquire or contact her.
Excited for the writing prompts to return.
Perspective is a mischievous creature and often comes right when we are trying to shape our own thoughts. It’s easy to forget when it bounds forward at the strangest times.
I am glad you all recovered from COVID!