A Time to Be

Quickly I can feel life getting busy. Anyone else? I feel like over this last month we have been gifted this release from Covid being super scary to being a cold once again. I feel like I forgot how to smile, I forget that at the grocery store people can see me singing or talking to myself. I enjoy getting to see my dancers smile, talk a little louder, and truly enjoy being in dance class. Since April is almost here, I thought it was a good time to remind you that it is okay to take a moment for yourself.

Schedules are filling up as less and less is getting canceled or postponed. Prices of things have gone up, but so has pay in a lot of companies. Life almost feels real again. It is by no means back to “the good old days.” I believe at least I have been emotionally scared from the last two years, that I am sure many of you have, too. So I encourage you to take a moment today to simply, be.

If you are a person of faith, taking a moment to be might look like taking time to sit and pray all of what you have on your heart. Listen to a song and lay on the ground to really take in the music, lyrics and art as you pray. Stand and lift your hands in full surrender of your soul. Spend time with God and His words in the Bible. He is always with you waiting for you to say what is on your heart.

A moment to be might look like sitting as you read a book with your favorite tea.

A moment to be might look like going for a walk in nature and breathing in fresh air.

A moment to be might look like going alone to the grocery store.

A moment to be might look like singing to your plants as you water them.

A moment to be might look like getting a massage.

A moment to be might look like sitting with a cup of coffee and a good friend or two to talk about something you have been wrestling with but are too afraid to face alone.

A moment to be might look like taking 10 minutes to do a facial cleansing mask.

A moment to be might look like working on a project or one of your hobbies.

A moment to be might look like journaling whether guided or a blank piece of paper to write down your thoughts for a moment before you continue on with your day.

Moments to be can be as serious or as light hearted as you need them to be. I think a mixture of the two is good. Take a moment my friend. You deserve it. Add moments to your schedule or to-do list if you need the reminder. Find a friend who also needs to remember to take a moment and check in on each other to tell one another what you did for your moment today.

This week a group of my friends and I are sending daily reminders to pray so that we all are praying at least once more a day than we were last week. It has been beautiful to see these prayers at work.

My hope and prayer for you is that you take a moment for yourself. Take a few moments if you need some extra reminders as the weekend approaches. I hope that by taking these moments you are able to find more joy than worry in your day. I pray that you are able to add more moments to collect yourself so that you do not say something or do something that you will later regret.

Take a moment to, be.

– Em