It’s taken me 3 days to write this post lol…

Honestly, y’all, despite everything that was and us going on, I had to take a walk this past Saturday. As much as I love my little studio apartment, I had to get out and get some fresh air. Trust me, I brought my hand sanitizer and didn’t touch anyone, or even get close to anyone. There weren’t many people out to get close to anyway.

But I took a walk around Coolidge Park, and sat down in me and my boyfriend’s spot, and just listened to music, stared out at the river, and cleared my head. I didn’t realize I’d sat out there for about an hour until I was ready to leave.

On my walk back, right before I reached my car, I ran into a dandelion. One of those white fluffy ones. And it made me think about the kids in the class I teach at the preschool, and how one of the last times I had with them before we closed the school for a couple of weeks, I brought around a single dandelion flower, and tried to get them to blow the seeds off of it.

The attempts were honestly pretty weak, in the sweetest way 😂😊 And when I asked each child to blow on it, some of them looked at me like they’d never done this before, and I realized I was probably experiencing this particular moment with them for the first time of their little lives.

Even though on the last day I had those little 2-year-olds they gave me a run for my money, I felt my heart soften as I picked that dandelion, and it made me miss my kids, and miss the fact that I won’t get to teach them and experience life with them for a solid 14 days.

It reminded me that my 9-5 (or technically, 7:30-6 or 8-5) job wasn’t just something to pay the bills or to fund my dreams. It is a ministry. My parents and grandparents tell me this every time I tell them stories about the kids I’ve taught, and I do feel humble when a parent tells me that something I’ve helped teach their child is being repeated at home.

It’s just showing me not to take the things I have in this life for granted. Not even my preschool job that can get exhausting at times. Because I never know what could happen; with things going the way they are, I’m not sure when I’ll get to see my lil kiddos again. I already know in two weeks, they’ll be all grown up 😭

But it leads me to ask you, oh dear reader:

What are some things you’re more thankful for with the way the world is right now? How has the state of the world opened your eyes to those things? How can you better appreciate those things when everything returns to normal?

Mishy 🦋💚