About two months ago we were in the parking lot of a big box store and this very large SUV was either trying to park or trying to get out of a parking spot (to this day I am not sure). My son and I sat and waited while the SUV pulled forward are turned a wheel slightly and then backed up and then repeated the process. “What are they doing?” I asked rhetorically with a sigh. My son with utter calm said, “Their Best, they are doing their best”.
I cannot tell you how many times that has stuck in my head since that event. And it holds more true today. Because that is what we can do right now. Just our best and our best might look different on Monday than it does on Thursday. That is ok also. Like a friend told me, the measuring stick has changed in these odd days.
This is hard on so many different levels of fear. Fear of health and fear of the health of others. Fear about money, food and jobs. But mostly the fear of the unknown. The how long does this last, what does it look like when it is done? It pushes us way out of our comfort zone. Way out.
My husband has had to do the grocery shopping since I fell and my surgery. I have done it (with him going along but with me making choices and a list) for the last ten years. This is not his comfort zone. And then you add to the fact that whole shelves of items are just gone. The other day there was no pasta sauce to speak of and only 3 packages of gluten free pasta. I told him to skip it, no big deal. But I could see he felt badly because he didn’t bring back what I had on the list. I told him it was like a list for Santa, if they have it great, if not, I have been cooking since I was 8, I can get creative.
He was dreading going out today and told me his goal was to talk to and smile at three people. When he returned, he was understandably overwhelmed but told me he thanked very single worker he saw in the store, smiled and talked to six people and had the check out clerk laughing. He was exhausted but brightened the day of lots of people. He did his best and it changed the tone of the day for quite a few people.
Be kind to yourself. Do you best but know you are going to have days that your best is changing your underwear and brushing your teeth and that is ok. Stay safe.
kkdonk 