Stay at Home Tips
You are at home and will be for a while still.
Initially when all this happened to our lives, there was a rush to adapt and “be productive”.
Even in Fearless, we got messages saying “it would be worth giving advice on how to use your time well”. I and some others didn’t rush to the rescue! Mainly because in any new situation, it’s helpful to step back and listen to your inner voice and reflect on what it is saying to you (Inner voice - meaning the Holy Spirit, of course!). To not rush ahead.
There is a Time for Everything
There is a well-known passage in the bible that goes like this:
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
And then later says:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
Everything has its time, and this time is different from any other.
If we try to mimic what we would normally do in our lives into this space is a real pity. It’s a wasted opportunity for getting to know yourself better. This is not a time to “do”, it’s a time to “be”. Granted we all need to do: study, chores, etc. But there is still space for things we would normally not do.
Sounds fluffy? Fair enough! OK, I’ll drill it down a little.
Be Open to Philosophise
Our normal life can feel like a running track with different fences to jump: a couple of laps of primary school, jumped a couple of fences there, then another couple of laps of secondary school, and then another couple of laps in my 20s, 30s, and so on.
This might sound a bit Nietzsche like - nihilistic or cynical, but it’s not! There are moments in our lives that can stop us in our tracks. Literally. A set-back, an illness, or the death of a loved one. We need to give these experiences space in our hearts because it’s an essential part of maturing. If we ignore them by busying or distracting ourselves, we lose a real opportunity to become the person we are called to be. Both successes and failures, joys and sorrows, fast track and side-lines form part of who we are.
So drilling down even further! Right now, you’re at home. You have your day filled with various things: homework, snapchat, chores, exercise, Netflix, killing your brother…annoying your sister, and so on. But what if you did some things differently?
Here’s a couple of examples:
Saying the Rosary
If there was any time in world history where your prayers are needed, it’s now. We can avoid saying this prayer because we can think “I don’t have time”, but now more than ever, you probably do have 20 minutes each day and it will be the best 20 minutes spent of your day.
There are so many examples in history where our Lady was truly present in these moments and the Rosary played an important part. You might have heard about the Miracle of Hiroshima and that is just one of many examples. Miracles do happen.
People suffering from this virus and their families need your help. Many people are hands-on helping, but there is also one sure way you can help them and that is praying for them.
Give it a go! It’ll be the best 20 minutes of your day!
Journaling
When we write down our thoughts, we understand them better. Much like, when we talk to a friend about something that’s bothering us. Externalising our thoughts, puts them into perspective. Journaling is a great way to order your thoughts and get to know yourself better.
Cook
You’re probably doing it already but cooking (and I include baking here aswell) is great! Apart from the end result there are two pluses. One, you bring joy (hopefully!) to others and two, the process of cooking is therapeutic. Studies have shown that if you do things for others, you are less likely to be anxious!
Reach out
For some, this time is very nerve-wrecking. Do you know someone that could be like this: an older person, an estranged relative, a primary school friend. Someone you don’t normally contact. I know it sounds terribly awkward but you can’t imagine how that person will feel so much better if you reach out to them: drop them a text first if you feel like calling is too much, but then if they respond to your text, call them.
Sometimes we don’t know the positive impact we make on people’s lives. We can give people a lot of hope.
Hard as it might be, try to enjoy this time. See it as a time in your life that possibly (and hopefully) will never be repeated, and yet is a time that opens up new horizons for you and helps you to appreciate things differently.
…..
Catherine McMahon