Well it’s been another crazy roller coaster ride in these Pandemic years. Hasn’t it!
With the strangeness of border closures, health mandated restrictions, lock downs & isolations again & again.
I’m sure all of us want to see the end of this CoVid virus with all its variants!
But it seems it’s not finished with the world yet & just keeps on keeping on!
I thought we would reflect upon the valuable lessons of these years.
But first let’s get comfy with our cuppa’s & delicious treats.
Now we’re ready let’s chat…
Valuable lessons
I think the greatest lesson that I have learnt in these strangest of times is valuing the precious art of the slow.
Let me explain…
When the Pandemic hit our country, Australia, we had to go into lock down as did many countries around the world.
Having never lived through a pandemic before, this was all rather strange & concerning.
So as the world pushed pause, hubby & I looked at each other & commented that it wouldn’t be much different to our ‘normal life’.
With both of us in early retirement due to chronic health conditions, our life hasn’t been in the fast lane for some time.
But like many around the world we hunkered down together in our little sanctuary we call home.
After awhile though as the tension ebbed from our lives we realised what a blessing this ‘time out‘ was becoming.
We hadn’t realised the huge expectations, stress & tension we had placed upon ourselves until we were forced to stop.
We also realised that we could either resist this or take the opportunity to learn a new art.
Learning the Art of Slow
The Art of the Slow is quite different to the The Art of Quietness that I wrote about a little while ago.
Although that too is a valuable lesson.
What is the Art of the Slow? You may be asking.
It’s coming into a place of deliberation in mind & spirit to enjoy the precious moments in each day.
That sadly we often are too busy & hurried to even notice let alone enjoy.
As lock down continued many commented…
As I watched & listened to the comments from various people around the globe.
Many were saying how they were enjoying time out from the hustle & bustle.
Many commented that they didn’t want to go back to the crazy busyness & vowed to make changes in their lives.
But life happens
However, when the first lockdown ended & people started getting back to some semblance of normality.
Many raced straight back into the hustle & bustle of their old lives, promises of change forgotten.
The comments then changed to, they couldn’t cope with the crazy busyness anymore!
Then another hit
As the Delta variant arrived on our shores a long lock down was imposed upon some states.
At first there was a national groan… “not again!” And repeated when the Omicron variant stormed us.
But then comments of enjoying the Slow life once again started to filter through the media.
While time in lockdown is not easy, especially for those home schooling children while working from home.
And missing out on important family time & events is extremely painful, as shared in Being Brave in a New World
None the less, learning the Art of the Slow for many of us has been a rejuvenating & refreshing experience.
What I’ve learnt from this Art
The greatest gem for me is the new found wisdom from the Slow.
Especially recognising & reflecting upon how I impose certain high expectations upon myself only causing stress & tension!
I can be my own worse enemy at times!
Can you relate to that my friend?
Also finding greater wisdom in recognising the need to really slow down often & see God in the precious moments of my life, like Jesus did!
For Life is precious with Him.
“[Wisdom] is a tree of life to those who take hold of her.”
Proverbs 3:18
And finally the wisdom to say my best “Yes” on any given day & that may be to practice the Art of the Slow with my Heavenly Father.
What valuable lessons can you take forward from these Pandemic years my friend?
I’d love to hear about them.
Until next time,
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
Or
in Prayer
© 2021 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All rights reserved. Photo by alleksana on Pexels.com
Tea With Jennifer 
I confess I enjoyed and embraced the slow times from 2020 when we had no school for three months when the pandemic hit. But as an educator, there’s been nothing slow since fall of 2020 when we brought kids back on campus and have worked like crazy to keep them here (I work at a boarding school). It’s been exhausting. But the kids are thriving and not falling behind any more. Some of the changes we made during that period will last, because the pandemic forced us to change the way we did things. But I could use a few extra weeks of vacation!
I hope you’re able to get some times of Slow soon Anita to refresh & rejuvenate. 😊
Ah, Jennifer, this is so very true. I think you have identify a very significant gift in the midst of all the losses the pandemic created for us. Even as retirees, we are bombarded with so many things to do, so much information coming at us to keep us spinning (very true also in lockdown) so looking at a day or a week with no urgent push to accomplish something I want to do within a specific timeframe was a rest I had not known how much I needed. I think we have a great difficulty with balancing our lives in what has become an increasingly fast-paced world. Well said, my friend!
Thank you Pam! Yes even as retiree’s we find ourselves far busier than God would have us! Lovely having you drop by today 🤗
Thank you for this blogpost. refreshing. We are in lockdown in the Netherlands for the omicron variant. It is spreading very rapidly.
I learned to slow down. But for my son (17) it is hard. The schools are closed too.
Thank you Aritha! It is very difficult in lockdown for the young ones. Yes, the Omicron variant is spreading like wildfire here too. 😬 We are expecting another lockdown again.
Oh, yes the art of slow. What a precious gem to learn. I love what you learned, “finding greater wisdom in recognising the need to really slow down often & see God in the precious moments of my life!” This is an ongoing journey of mine. Thank you for sharing with Grace & Truth Link-Up. I will pin this on my Grace & Truth board.
Thank you Maree for the pin! It is so rejuvenating & refreshing to be slow with the Lord, it is a precious gem! 😊
Thats good
Thank you! 🤗
Since I work from home, the pandemic didn’t really change a lot for me except our church was shut down for months. What I missed were physical connections with family and friends. Hugging, laughing together, sharing over cups of tea. I realized how much I value those relationships, so when we opened back up in my state, I vowed not to take those for granted. Now I’m more intentional about spending quality time with family and friends.
I love that you are more intentional in spending quality time with friends & family Lisa! Deliberation & intentional go hand in hand in the Art of the Slow 😊
For me, the pandemic hasn’t really been slow. It has just been busy in a different way. I agree though that culture encourages us to fill our lives with too much activity and it is important to do what we can to build in times to be still and to reflect rather than just continuing to rush.
It’s interesting how the Pandemic has affected each of us differently Lesley.
We have two High School teachers in the family & they found it similar to you.
May you be richly blessed this year,
Jennifer
As a Pastor’s wife who work fulltime outside the home my life is generally hectic. Neither of those duties came to a screeching halt but many of the scheduled events did. I never knew how much I rushed or how much I missed. I’m thankful for slower days and pray I never return to the old normal.
It’s interesting isn’t it how subtle busyness can have us believe we are living the life God wants us to… Until we were forced to stop & we then realised how decieved we had been! Lovely having you join me for a cuppa today 🤗