My son has been birthing the last of his four molars and I’ve become attuned to the rhythms of his discomfort. And- like everything else in the natural world -there is always a peak followed by a trough.
He’ll be an uber maniac one day followed by just a regular maniac (ie toddler )-the next day.
I remember my contractions during labor weren’t unrelenting – pain would always be followed by a moment of respite. I focused on the continual rhythm of the waves. Unfortunately, despite my best judgment – I allowed the hospital staff to administer Pitocin. Only afterwards did the contractions begin to overlap and increase with severity and become unbearable.
There’s nothing in nature we aren’t able to handle – it’s only when we meddle- choose to speed things up – or slow things down, that we are faced with the more painful consequences of interfering with the delicate balance of it all.
I was thinking about this – the oscillating nature of reality and I experienced something kinda funny. Somehow – something intervened to stop me from reacting in a potentially hurtful way.
My mother in law comes over on Wednesdays and spends a little time with my son George. His internal clock is well synchronized because on Wednesdays – somewhere around midday he’ll start asking… “grandma?” We don’t get many visitors so – him looking out the window and spotting her truck is something he looks forward to. This week – he waited and waited – while I assured him – soon, soon.
Then my husband comes home around 6 – roughly 2 hours of George progressively getting more frustrated by the window and tells me she isn’t coming and – he was surprised she hadn’t told me.
I was upset and although she was planning on coming the following night – I decided I’d text her the next day and tell her not to bother.
The following morning I switched on my phone and was surprised to find that I had no service. I thought – surely it’ll come back soon. By midafternoon I still had no service – so, as I rocked my son to a nap I relaxed – and thought, well – it’s ok – I’ll talk to her in person as opposed to approaching it via text. Shortly after – my phone service came back on and I thought that’s quite the timing.
Our emotions shift and change-continuously, but sometimes-we’ll have an especially strong reaction and feel propelled to act on it; even against our best judgment.
I was able to talk it out with her – the anger and frustration gone after seeing her genuine ignorance about it. She doesn’t want to hurt him in any way- just has way too much on her plate and I assume many of us do as well.
Things shifts – know a moment of respite is coming – and sometimes it’ll manifest as chance stepping in to give us a breather.
