If 2020 were a relationship it’d be a toxic one! But I can’t hate it. For as much as I despise all the epic life events and celebrations that had to be cancelled I can’t help but wonder if maybe there’s a blessing in disguise. Bear with me here. As parents we want the best for our children, we want them to live full vibrant lives, be rich in faith, have solid friendships, be well educated, etc. And if we reflect on our own childhoods, WAY back in the 80s and 90s, some of our best memories might have been at school dances, gatherings with friends, etc. But this isn’t the 80s or 90s, and quite honestly, who knows how all those events that we wanted so badly for our children that had to be cancelled would have turned out, like the school dances, carnivals, parties, etc. I get that they should have at least had the opportunity to experience them, but it’s not fair for us parents to assume that the outcome, the memories they would have made would have been positive ones. So where is all this coming from? This thought popped into my head while dancing in my front yard last night with my husband, mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, my 10 year old daughter, 13 year old son, my Freshman daughter and two of her friends.
It was somewhere between Thriller and The Chicken Dance that I really soaked in the magic of the night. We host Halloween each year and that usually means a big gathering, but due to the circumstances it was downsized and we kept it to our safe 10 peeps that we’ve been around for the last 6 month. Initially I was bummed that we had to keep yet another gathering to a minimum, especially this one, did I mention we had a DJ? It wasn’t for long, just 8-10pm, but what occurred for me in that amount of time was life altering. The fog machine and the flickers of the DJ lights legit made it feel like a dream scene straight outta a movie. As I watched my family dancing in my front yard to Hang on Sloopy it hit me, if it wasn’t for the current circumstances would this magical night even exist? When else would a Freshman, a 14 year old girl be willing to dance in her front yard with her mom and dad, for all passerbyers to see without being mortified? When else would a 13 year old boy bust a move with his grandmother in his front yard where all his friends could see? When else in time could a Halloween gathering such as this ever be something other kids would envy? It was then that I realized not everything that has occurred due to Covid has been bad. For, if Covid never happened who knows where and what everyone would have been doing….perhaps all the kids would have had an epic Halloween party with all their friends in our front yard or perhaps one or two would have gone their own way to a different event or gathering, either way I can guarantee mom, dad, Nana, & Papa probably would not have been encouraged, welcomed, and received onto the dance floor in such a loving way.
If 2020 were a relationship it would be toxic, but I can’t hate it, for it gave this 40 year old momma one of the most amazing memories to cherish for a lifetime. I shall always treasure Halloween 2020 and dancing in my front yard with my husband of 17 years, teenagers, tween, & brother, sister-in-law, & my parents…I haven’t imaged what Heaven might be like since I was a kid, but, while dancing the thought crossed my mind, I hope this is what Heaven is like.
Seems rather fitting that today marks the first day of our Acts of Kindness Countdown to Thanksgiving…be sure to check it out and please share how something good has come from your 2020, if you look hard enough I promise there is a morsel of positive somewhere and I’m looking forward to reading yours…
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 