Today I’m going to tackle the world like Wonder Woman.
I may not have the gold bracelets and lasso like when I was younger and watched my idol fight on TV while wearing the same outfit, but friends, I have my Wonder Woman mug to fill me up with the strength to take on today.
I may not fight off any of the bad guys, jumping over burning cars and tying up a bank robber today, but I will be strong.
Because yesterday was a hard day.
I felt defeated. I felt a bit lost. I felt sad.
I miss my friends.
I miss long walks, meeting for coffee in town, and sharing the depths of my soul with my beloved friends. I miss hearing every little bit and piece of their life. Those pieces that forge trust and unbreakable bonds and right now texting is not cutting it.
I felt sad. I miss my girls being young.
And now I’m in the countdown mode for a departure for college and all of them growing up rapidly in front of me each day. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t expect all of the air to be sucked out of my lungs while thinking about it.
I felt sad. I miss the freedom my girls once had.
The freedom to go to school, knowing they are safe and not ever have to worry about quarantining. The freedom to walk into a store without a mask on and not worry about the potential danger. The freedom to not worry if their grandparents will be able to find a vaccine anytime soon.
I felt sad. I miss being a part of things.
I miss volleyball games, dance recitals, and reunions with old friends. Heck, I miss every single activity I used to complain about and how we were overscheduled and running around all over with barely enough time to think or let alone breathe. But today, I miss the busyness.
I felt sad.
I felt sad for those struggling each day, with their child at home who is beyond frustrated and giving it their all, but still not succeeding.
I felt sad for those who make a promise each night, that tomorrow will be a new day…a better attitude, more patience, and gratitude but by mid-day, they are worn out and feeling depleted.
I felt sad for our little ones who don’t recall what being in school feels like. The bustling hallways, walking into the art room and breathing in the subtle smell of paint, and the excitement of the new science experiment.
I felt sad for the middle schoolers who rely on their friends, as their life support, navigating the murky waters of adolescence and not being able to see them daily.
I felt sad for the high schoolers who have been patiently waiting for the rites of passage for each grade level and now sit at home behind a screen for class, behind a screen for FaceTime, and silently sit there alone, not really engaging and missing the vibrance of the building.
I felt sad for the college kids who haven’t even stepped foot on campus, attempting to bond with the best friends of their life, but can’t even enter another dorm room.
Friends, some days are just hard. Really hard…and yesterday was one of those days.
But today, I am prepared.
I have my Wonder Woman mug providing me with the armor I need to tackle today.
If I could only find my old Wonder Woman bracelets, I could maybe, just maybe, feel as if I could take on the entire world.
