Back to school
As routines reboot, choose not to hurry
This is a week of new beginnings, of outsized ambitions, of unexpected exhaustion. It still feels like midsummer, but suddenly, you’re busy.
Kids head back to school. Routines reboot. Even empty nesters feel the energy shift. You’ll be tempted to set resolutions for what feels like a new year. You’ll be pulled into “busy” more readily than you’d expect.
As summer’s kickback vibe fades, go easy on yourself. Don’t overdo it, especially if you have kids in school. They’re going to be excited, overwhelmed, and exhausted, all at once. They may not be able to tell you, but they’ll need some quiet.
Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/
The first week of school, wade in slowly. Resist the urge to sign up for too many volunteer opportunities or activities. Fight the tide of hurry that rushes in this time of year.
Give yourself some space. Move slow. Fall offers opportunities to welcome, but it can also tempt us to be too busy. Pace yourself. Set an intention.
Welcoming is a practice in which we create space for another. We set a place for others at our table. We open our door to them. And we listen. We give not just a meal or a cup of coffee but an attentive ear, a thoughtful question, a space for others to tell their stories and feel safe.
You cannot offer such welcome from a place of depletion or exhaustion. As fall routines accelerate, deliberately pump the breaks. Give yourself and your family downtime. Be intentional about taking time for solitude. For unscheduled time.
Solitude may seem antithetical to welcoming. But when we have time alone to think, to meditate, to pray, we replenish our energy. We get quiet enough to listen—to God, to ourselves. In other words, to welcome the Spirit. To welcome ourselves. And to enjoy the welcome of God. By paying attention to our own soul, by experiencing love, we become better listeners and then can offer a deep listening welcome to others.
Photo by Maéva DUPRE: https://www.pexels.com/photo/
Be very intentional about what you will say yes to, and no to. Don’t say yes to everything.
Pay attention to the people you live with, and what makes them feel welcome. My two kids were very different. My firstborn would come home from kindergarten and want to keep the party going with playdates or at least a walk to the neighborhood park where she’d see her friends (and not get in trouble for chatting). When her younger brother went to school, I remember asking him if he wanted to have a friend over after school (his sister had trained me). He looked at me and shook his head. “No thanks, Mommy. I’ve had too much people.”
If you live with an introvert, the most welcoming thing you can do is let them have some time alone to regroup. If you are an introvert, the kindest thing you can do is set aside some time for yourself.
Even if you tend toward extroversion and activity, take it slow. If you have to, put blocks of downtime in your calendar now, before it fills up. By setting aside some time to welcome God, and yourself, you’ll find you have more to give to the people who need it.
I’m curious: how do you handle the shift from summer to full-speed fall? What advice would you offer the rest of us? Leave a comment below!
P.S. If you enjoyed today’s Welcoming & Wandering, could you invite a friend to be part our little community? Hit share and recommend this free newsletter.