Several years ago, I made a decision that I would never lead a life where I was living for the weekend. My joy and peace would not be inextricably linked to Fridays. I decided that the life I would design for myself would be one where I embraced Mondays and everyday thereafter, knowing that each day was full of promise and new opportunities. I’m fortunate to say that for the most part, I’ve made good on these declarations. I pretty much live life on terms that serve me and allow me to bring my best self to the table for the season of life that I occupy. That said, let me tell you about this past Monday.

Now it goes without saying that life is different right now and even for those of us who are managing well, the energy of all that we are grappling with can be heavy. I am a person who works to be honest with myself about how I am feeling at all times and acknowledge those feelings without being led by them. I’m typically pretty good at this too. But as I maneuvered through this past weekend, the realization that Monday was on the horizon hit me like a ton of bricks. Maybe it was the outstanding projects that needed my attention, or the seemingly impossible task of facilitating both virtual school and homeschool (because they are different) while caring for an increasingly busy 9 month old, or the pure exhaustion of managing a household where people are home all the time! It could have been any one of those or all of those, I don’t know. But the only thing that I could get excited about was knowing that the housekeeper was coming this week, #win. 

These feelings are not congruent with how I choose to live my life, pandemic or no pandemic. But I felt how I felt. Just as I was about to settle into the perspective of “it is what it is,” I received an unexpected call with somewhat of an odd request. My friend Facetimed me saying that her mother wanted to see the classroom we’d set up for our children. In that call I was reminded of my own but somehow forgotten mantra of “In all things, lead with an attitude of gratitude and a spirit of service.” I was reminded that I don’t “have to” but rather “I get to” do ALL the things. Now I’ve been mindful of my blessings all along. If this pandemic has done nothing, it has certainly made me keenly aware of how abundantly blessed I and my family are. But remembering those simple words snatched my case of the Mondays right back into proper perspective and you all know that for me, perspective is everything.

As you continue to navigate these challenging days, I encourage you too to lead with an attitude of gratitude and a spirit of service. Remember that every responsibility is evidence of a stewarded blessing. Approach the task with patience and with care remembering that as difficult as it may feel, things could be quite different. Be gentle with yourselves and each other. Later.