Sandwiched
My younger son, Jacob, battled stomach flu last week. This is the kid who NEVER gets sick. In fact, we imagined that he would receive an award next spring for two years in a row of perfect attendance. But the nasty norovirus said “no” and he missed school last Friday as well as his holiday choir concert on Saturday.
I had planned to have lunch with my brother Friday, as he was in town for a few days. I was also going to see Jacob’s recital that morning for his advanced piano class. Squeezing work in between it all was going to be a challenge but I was ready. We were also set to enjoy a Saturday afternoon of holiday music at Noblesville High School on Saturday.
All of that went out the window. Yes, he’s 17, and if he were simply battling a cold or sore throat, we may have done things differently. But this flu left him weak and dehydrated and we wanted at least one parent home with him.
I worked on my laptop in our dining room Friday while I watched Jacob get some much-needed sleep on our living room couch. And suddenly I realized that I was getting a lot done and enjoying the quiet.
As I get older, I realize how precious it is to get unexpected free time back into my day or week. It’s especially amazing during this holiday season.
I would never have wished this illness on my son, or really anyone, but knowing the worst was over for him was a relief. I began to relish this gift of time, especially on Saturday when he was up and about, eating a little more, and looking less like a zombie from The Walking Dead.
I’ll bet I’m not alone in feeling happy when some plans get canceled. Yes, I love seeing family and friends, meeting up with clients, or chatting with an acquaintance over lunch. But when these fun plans change, those quiet times are often a gift – a rare one.
Whether planned or unexpected, I think now more than ever we need more free time in our lives. My friend Jennifer and I were just discussing this last week – sometimes we need to ponder the universe, pray, or enjoy some newly fallen snow and the lights from our Christmas tree.
If you’re in the sandwich generation, this gift of time doubles in importance. Sometimes we “go, go, go” taking care of everyone else and forgetting about our own needs. But if we don’t stop, breathe, and enjoy life once in a while, we’ll get burned out and not be much help to the ones we love.
So, if you find yourself deleting something off of your calendar this holiday season, try to enjoy the quiet instead of filling up that space right away. Consider it a secret gift to yourself!