prospering through a pandemic

    Owning a childcare center in the midst of a global pandemic has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. However, it has also been one of the things that has taught me the most about children, human nature and life in general. When it first began and "Covid 19" was such a buzz word I found myself wondering how I was supposed to ease the fears of the tiny ones when I was afraid myself. The more I thought about it though that is how so much of life is without a pandemic thrown into the mix. 

Especially in childcare.

Tiny humans are just that... tiny versions of the adults that are entrusted with them. They are still learning to do life and how to be a human. But at the same time they are the ones that we stand to learn the most from if we just stop long enough to really pay attention. Usually they haven't lived through enough life to know that people aren't always trustworthy and some will even hurt you. Don't me wrong, there are some children who have stories by the time they are not even toddlers that will crush your heart. Thankfully though the majority of what we have encountered here in our small town are quite different from those. They trust with such an innocent view of the world. They have a faith in humanity that is quite different than that we have as adults. Granted, there's quite a bit of trauma, life experience, and "bad things" that have happened in our lives to lead us to have the worldview that we do. 

But, isn't it refreshing? 

All these babies know is that Covid makes you sick, schools closed down, you have to wash your hands more and everyone looks different than what they're used to because of the masks. They aren't worried about the conspiracy theories, politics, the statistics of who died or recovered, or whether masks are effective or not. They take each day as it comes without worrying about the future that lies ahead or holding on to the wrongs of days past. 

What if maybe, we tried to live a little more like the tiny ones and a lot less like most do right now? Sure, it would be a big change from how most of us live but how would that also change the world around us? society's health as a whole? the way we see each other? the way we view the things that pissed us off 15 years ago that we're still carrying around? And so on.

I'll be the first to admit that I need to become a lot like these tiny humans in so many ways and way less like me. No, I'm not saying we, as adults, should act childish. But to have a childlike faith, view of others without the bias of past hurts, and not have a whole brain full of all these worries, grudges and concerns everyday I believe that would be a positive thing for so many. 

If we changed the way we look at life then undeniably the things we look at will change too. Maybe not tangibly change in every situation but our attitude, outlook, and mental health would for the better. 

Sure we could learn these things just from a "normal life" without a pandemic but, at least for me, I'm too hard headed to learn lessons like this most times without something out of the ordinary happening. But the beauty of working with children in any circumstance is getting to see first-hand the resilience they possess, the undeniable joy in their response to the smallest of things, and their willingness to speak their truth without the fear of what others will think because they just don't know anything different.

2020 has been a wild year to say the least but can we just all agree to ...

choose mercy over judgment in every situation.

choose to love hard even through the risk of getting hurt.

choose being true to ourselves over what others think.

choose to live in community over isolation.

choose to be courageous despite uncertainties.

choose to show other's grace over condemnation.

choose the people around you over the things.

choose to have a positive outlook despite all the negative things.

choose to find reasons to be grateful no matter what.

choose to find something to laugh about everyday.

choose to be hopeful in spite of the season of life you're in.

choose to live more childlike in a world where even 

the children are forced to grow up too soon.

Despite the reality of Covid. 

Despite the sadness, loss and heartbreak.

Despite the seriousness of the trials. 

Despite the bad things that are bound to happen. 

Despite the pressure to grow up so quickly.

Despite and in spite of all the things our motto will always be,

"Let them be little".

My prayer is that today, even with a pending storm, we will learn from the children in our lives, block out all the media/news channels, and all the negative experiences in our own lives and  live from a place of hope and courage. A place of love for others and ourselves. A place where we're slow to pass judgment or assume things and consciously remember that we're all just humans learning everyday to do this thing called life - especially the tiny ones. They look to us for their direction in life, beliefs about others and themselves, and notice more than we think. 

Let's choose to be a good example, as often as possible, in every way for the tiny ones around us who are always watching. Because love truly does win; every. single. time.

Stay safe and we'll see y'all soon.

Love wins, Miss Megan