My Virus Enlightenment

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A few days ago, that virus that’s been going around got me too.

I hate being sick. I hate feeling so yucky. And I hate being less than 100% functioning and coping and doing. I guess the truth is that being sick is tough on my body and equally tough on my ego…

But yesterday, I looked around my living room from my favorite new vantage point- flat on my back on the living room sofa- and I realized that my kids are probably actually enjoying this virus. This virus means that I’m not cleaning the kitchen, or running off to that Rosh Hodesh party, or barking orders as I’m rushing out to buy tights for my 4-year-old before the store closes. I’m just lying on the sofa, watching my children as they bounce around me, appreciative for any little human interaction that can distract me from my yuckiness.

“Hey, Moriah, want me to read you a book?”

“Hallel, bring me your English homework, why don’t we go over it now?”

“Hadas, want to ask me questions for your family tree project?”

Usually, I realize, the things my children ask me to do feel like annoyances that are pulling me away from whatever all-important task I am working on—filling the dishwasher, making a salad, putting boots on the 2-year-old so we can go to the market for some potatoes.

But for the past few days, things have switched. The annoyances have become the all-important tasks, and the all-important tasks suddenly feel like total annoyances. I really hope to feel better ASAP. But I also hope that when this virus leaves that the bright side- the enlightenment of this yuckiness- will remain.

4 comments

  1. I often feel that me kids questions are annoyances that are taking me away from housework (which I have little time to do because I work full time). I tell myself that this is the basis of my relationship with them, by interacting with them when THEY want to, and relating to what’s bothering them (whether it be needing clean socks, or showing me the latest magic trick that they learned.) I don’t always manage to give them my attention when they ask fo it. Thank you for this inspiration.

  2. How true. It’s so hard to slow down and take time for the little things that seem like they are not that important at the moment.

  3. Rachael Leah

    I was also sick this past week – how nice to read of someone else’s enlightenment. I also learned something. The worst day of my flu I felt like I could barely talk, only when it was absolutely necessary. This “quiet mode” gave me such a different perspective on my kids and how to deal with them – I found that I talk too much! And I am missing things. My children interacted with me so much more on that day, and, when I did softly ask them for something, they LISTENED! Which they don’t usually do – maybe because I’m nagging, repeating myself, and overloading them with more talk, and not taking time to listen to them – I think they really appreciated the quiet gentleness my sickness put on me, and now that it is over, I am also trying to keep it up. B’Hatzlacha, and thank you fo r letting me share.

  4. Refuah shleimah!

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