Reflection week 2

Saturday morning silence and my sofa's softness sign that I am in the right place at the right time ready to write my weekly reflection for the SOLSC writing challenge. I haven't made a cup of tea yet. Still in my PJs, I snuck out of the bedroom to write before my husband and daughter wake up. It's past nine o'clock already. 

I celebrate that I have kept my calm during the week of going for a second lock down. I can't figure out whether it is worse to be in a lock down for a whole year or to have experienced some normal life and then being forced to a second lockdown. I am still working on how to keep the positivity. I celebrate completing the first full day of distance learning with my fourth graders. I celebrate my lovely learners who showed good self-management skills and creative thinking. I celebrate my wonderful colleagues who showed patience and flexibility as we smoothed out some glitches in the DL schedules. I celebrate the phone calls with my mom, sis, and adult daughters. I celebrate the comfort of being together with my hubby and teenage daughter. She has matured and so has our relationship. I celebrate that I take the time to walk and write. Like last March showed, for me writing and reading are vital in keeping my sanity and finding the joy.  

My plan for this week was to focus on school slices. The week before, during the winter holidays, the days felt free and fluid, allowing to take time for writing, choosing and playing with topics and styles. Returning to school on Monday I thought of observing my kids and collecting slices from the ordinary days at school. By the end of Monday this plan flew out of the window because of the lock down announcement. (The government doesn't call it a state of emergency but it is very much like that.) A shadow of this lingers over all my posts. I made an effort not to be too dark and still look for at least a small nugget of good, like a piece of chocolate or a bag of books. Another unexpected thing was to receive an invitation to slice in my home language. I blog in English and writing a post in Estonian was a fascinating experience yesterday. I wrote it early morning before distance learning and it was short. In my journals I have writing both in English and Estonian. 

I appreciate the empathy in the comments. I didn't realise how much I needed it until I read and the caring words helped me to breathe slower and gather myself. I appreciate that slicers write about their life with raw honesty, revealing their different feelings and thoughts, reminding me that it is ok to experience all the emotions. I appreciate that the slicers reflect, sharing their lessons learned and creative solutions in tricky situations. I appreciate that slicers seek joy and humour and hope, showing ways to find strength. I appreciate that the slicers write about the ordinary. I have become to appreciate the ordinary more and more. 

Wishing everyone a weekend of finding what you need, whether reading what others shared or letting your own words become a journey of discovery.

It took me almost an hour to write this. I am thankful for Saturday and that my family loves sleeping in. My stomach is growling though.