The First Week of Peace

Last week in this post I wrote about my plans to make Spreading Peace my Lenten observance this year. Here's what I can say one week into the endeavor:

--Focusing on peace has helped me to feel more peaceful (I haven't taken any polls on how others under our roof have experienced the past week). Taking a moment to breathe deeply and to remind myself, I am bringing peace to this moment, has helped a great deal. Whether managing an obstructionist 4 year old, or slamming on my brakes behind the person who is texting while driving and just cut me off on the expressway, I have found that I can be more patient and forgiving if I just focus. As usual, it seems when we try to do something good for the world, we end up doing something good for ourselves.

--Getting enough sleep has made a huge difference. File this under Things Molly Has Had to Learn Over and Over and Over Again. For the first several weeks of this calendar year, I was getting up very early (4:30) in order to carve out some writing time. The result was a tired, crabby mommy with a few mediocre poems. As I turned my attention to peace for Lent, I knew I had to recommit to getting enough rest. I have the luxury of getting at least eight hours most nights, and it feels wonderful. And, of course, I am less crabby and more patient because I am well-rested.

--A little advance work in the household planning department goes a long way (re: where to file this, see above). My own personal downfall is meal planning and grocery shopping. I hate doing it, so I tend to put it off until we're out of...... well.... everything. The result: stressful afternoons trying to pull together Something Decent for dinner; no milk for breakfast; no fruit in the fruit bowl; you know the drill. With a little more planning ahead, our afternoons have been less stressful and our larder more stocked. Peace-o-meter on the rise. (Important note to caregivers of children age 3 years and under: This bit does not apply to you. If you have children 3 and under in your house, plan all you want while the gods laugh. And laugh. And laugh.).

--Being honest about my needs has made me feel more peaceful. Carving out time to write during the daylight hours. Asking Husband for a night off in the kitchen. Asking the kids for a little peace and quiet (which, I know, is like asking a waterfall to stop flowing...... but sometimes even thirty seconds of peace and quiet while one tries to explain one's need for peace and quiet is enough).

--I have yelled less. Yahoo.

--I have started thinking about other things - things outside the realm of under-my-own-roof - that could make the world a more peaceful place. In particular, I have been thinking about how hard it is to feel peaceful when you are under-nourished. Because of the way my chronic illness affects my body's ability to absorb nutrition, I actually know what that feels like. I'll tell you something: when you're not getting enough nutrition you never feel quite safe or secure; it's easy to lose hope; and your brain doesn't work very well. Also, there is no light in your eyes (which is a corollary to: It's easy to lose hope). I wonder how much more peaceful the world would be if everyone had enough to eat? So, in my effort to spread more peace I'm going to be sending $10 more per month to our local food shelf. It's just a little something, but it's something.

Peace to you.