Just as the threads of tradition bind families together, we also need to loosen the threads to spend time apart, to be silent and recharge. This does not mean abandoning our duties or being selfish with our time since it is impossible to be available all the time to all things and people who demand our attention.
Making time alone to be quiet is essential so we can be more available to others. When I was a child, I remembered wanting to spend a lot of time with my mom, who worked full time. I was also stunned when my parents went out as a couple and left us kids at home. Unthinkable! I recall looking after them, their backs turned toward me, as they walked away from the house. How could they do that? They were abandoning us. Of course, my then 10-year-old mind could not figure out the idea that parents needed time alone as a couple, just as children and teenagers need time alone as well.
Now I understand how precious quiet and alone time can be. How taking a leisurely stroll can be uplifting and how taking a deep breath can be refreshing. It makes for being more focused and peaceful as well as regaining the energy to reconnect with family to continue practicing certain routines. What about your family? What threads of tradition bind you together?
