At the end of the year, I love writing my goals and ambitious plans for the new year. I fill my list with family events or vacations, date nights, personal goals I want to reach, etc. Now as the end of December hits us it has occurred to me how much I am dreading writing my list for 2021. I thrive off of being the planner of our household and this year, for many of us, has thrown so many of our hopes and goals for the year in a different direction. 2020 is ending- we have reached the end of such a difficult season in motherhood. Let’s encourage each other to stop, pause, and reflect on the year that many of us will remember for the rest of our lives! 2020: In Memoriam.
Stopping life has been so difficult and probably one of the hardest years I have had as a mother. Not only had my favorite hot spots been closed or events canceled, but now I was raising two toddlers with the constant fear of getting sick or feeling as if I couldn’t do enough to provide the normalcy that the kids craved every day. We were introduced to zoom classrooms, socially distant birthday parades, and how can we forget the tiger king himself. None of this was on my yearly to-do list and I can imagine it gave all of you a surprise or two as well. Now after 7 months into the chaos I have realized that maybe stopping was a hidden gift that I will cherish and remember as I plan 2021.
Pausing and stopping are fairly similar- but I feel as if pausing has a more positive meaning when it comes to planning the future. The definition of pausing means to “ take a temporary rest, taking a break for a short period after an effort.” We all deserve a pause after 2020! So many exhausting events and situations that have felt like running a marathon! The amount of conversations and heavy circumstances has given new meaning to the word “break.” So as we plan the new year let’s let go of the guilt and remember that it is important to rest, recharge, and to allow ourselves those peaceful moments. I promise our partners and children will appreciate the healing and restoration that will come in our mommy hearts and breathe new life into so many of those who have been beaten down.
When it comes to reflection I personally feel like this is the hardest for me because I do not want to look back. I am so exhausted from 2020 that I am ready to simply look forward and try to do the best I can. But, in reality, I know I have to look back because it allows me to see how I have grown as a mom, as a wife, as a sister, daughter, and friend. It is okay to process, reflect, and grieve the pain and loss that this year has given us. But with that comes the good news, a world where we are stronger, more united, more empathic, and more encouraging to one another.
So let’s together raise a glass to 2020, the year no one expected or wanted but here we are. May the new year be filled with more pause and reflection, that even though the world might feel like it has “stopped” that we are filled with love and hope for a good tomorrow. 2020: In Memoriam.
Happy New Year. Welcome to 2021!
Read: Car Ride: A Love Letter to My Bi-Racial Daughters from Nimra
