Happy mom and baby. Life is beautiful!

The silver lining to any rough patch

“There is another world, but it is in this one. -Paul Eluard”

These words came to me on a postcard from a friend studying abroad during my college years. Below them is a black and white photo of a grinning child jumping on a bed – possibility vibrating between her airborne feet and the mattress. Over time I’ve whittled down my memorabilia from those early-adult days, but I never could let this postcard go. There is another world, but it is in this one.

You can probably relate when I say that some days are full of this kind of magic, but others are a little harder. My toddler has been in more teething pain than I’ve seen before, and my own much-craved sleep to heal from a cold is nonexistent. It’s hard feeling like I’m going to be ok on days like this. Overwhelm has become a familiar companion since becoming a mother.

But then, there are fleeting moments that push the overwhelm aside. Blowing bubbles on the sidewalk with her in the morning hours, taking breaks to pet friendly dogs out for their morning walks. Showing her early red and yellow tulips. My favorite flower, now a word in her vocabulary.

There is another world, but it is in this one.

-PAUL ELUARD

Today, I wish for you quiet pause to notice the magic in this world. I wish for us the ability to observe overwhelm – or whatever hard emotions we resist – with compassion. Both worlds, the hard and the magical, exist side by side. And even if we forget for a little while, the sun continues to light our children’s faces. We are blessed.

***How do you move through rough patches? What helps you be gentle about them? Post a comment or respond to someone else’s. May our energy inspire and lift each other up.

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