Up and Out of Isolation

That feeling of the walls closing in, the noise around you is magnified a hundred times and those three kids of yours suddenly seem like there is a thousand of them. Sound familiar? You should know, this phenomenon happens to moms regardless of the number of kids- it could be one tiny six month old who can't yet speak or crawl- and it happens when you have been in your hole way. too. long.

In giving of ourselves and serving our families, often we will go weeks without much more social interaction than a short conversation with your tired husband at the end of the day and a little pre and post church chit chat, and if your husband travels frequently it's probably even less than that. For the record, chatting with the girl at the register who is bagging your groceries does not count as social interaction. 

It's in this hole, a dark and dank place, that things can begin to fester and grow. Things that should not be there. In the isolation of our mommy world, we can become vulnerable to the lies of the Enemy, who wants us to believe our job isn't important, we aren't succeeding at what we are doing and the very biggest lie of all, that one simple human slip up will result in a lifetime of misery for your children. 

That time you told your kid to "shut up". That time you lost your patience and yelled at them at the top of your lungs. That time you wished they would just go away. That time you found yourself struggling to even like your own flesh and blood. That time. I'm sure we could all compile endless lists that start with "that time". 

Today I peeped my head up out of my hole and spent several hours with mom friends. Our kids were playing together freeing us up to enjoy some conversation with like-minded people who are in a similar phase of life and who, most importantly, can completely relate to you when you tell the story about the time you lost your temper and yelled the "s" word at your kids. That would be shut-up, people, come on now. 

And the thing is, spending time outside of your hole you realize that you aren't the only one who is struggling. That your struggles are similar to a million other moms out there, they aren't unique only to you. And in the opening and sharing of these mom problems, you will find the golden medicine of laughter and companionship that have a way of banishing the blues and refreshing the soul. 

It's in the sharing of our experiences in cooking, caring, laundering and so many other things that we can recognize the lies we've been believing. Isolation is the best way to conquer your prey. Think about that. 

Find your way up and out, laugh at your mistakes, regain your perspective on what is normal, air out your brilliant mind, freshen up your outlook. I promise, your parenting will improve and so will your attitude.