Slow Your Roll

Yesterday, during my Bible study Zoom call, our leader asked us what was one thing we'd like to keep in place as life goes back to "normal". I was quick to respond. I want to say no more, to take time to slow down and enjoy quiet time. For 2 months, I was rarely bored but I definitely slowed down. It's kind of easy to do when very few businesses are open. But, for the past week or so, life has started to ramp up again. Restaurants and salons opened on Friday. Doctors began seeing patients for non-emergencies this past week. And people are feeling more freedom.
That being said, the past two weeks have felt very busy to me. After not coming face to face with an abundance of people for 2 months, this past week has been a bit overwhelming. Friday in particular frayed my nerves. I'm not lying when I say people were at our house (i.e. in our front yard or on our porch) from 10:30am until 5:30, with the exception of me making a quick Sam's Club run. By the time the last person left, I was peopled out. Don't get me wrong. I love our neighbors and I love having a yard full of kids. But, it was just too much too soon.
It made me realize that it's okay to put up boundaries. I am a people pleaser so I don't say no when I should. I need to protect our family time, my "me" time. I've heard a lot of people say that this quarantine has brought families together for a traditional dinner time- sitting around the table, eating together and talking about our day. We have always done that because that is super important to me! Like, ranks right under God and teaching the boys right from wrong, important. But we have done other things as a family that I have learned we can continue to do....just us.
I also want to protect my "me" time. During this time, I have craved it. I have one or more people talking to me from the time I wake up until I go to bed. Every day. My ears hurt. My head sometimes hurts. I need to have just a few minutes by myself every day. So I will continue to value that time.
Another thing that I learned during this time that I want to keep with is not filling the boys' social calendars. Rob has told me more times than I can count that I don't always need to find things to entertain the boys. And this quarantine time has really taught me that first handedly. There are times they've been bored but they've always found things to do. This time has brought them closer together because they only had each other to play with for several weeks. But, it's also okay if they're bored from time to time. 
As life resumes and busyness becomes the norm again, I will do everything in my power to keep a slower pace. We don't have to be on the go 24/7. We don't have to fill our social calendars. The boys don't constantly have to be entertained. Rona has taught me that it's okay to be at home, to not have a never-ending "To-Do" list. I hope, years from now, I can still say that I'm enjoying a slower pace of life thanks to Rona.