The January 2020 TWL newsletter challenged families to do a gut check on what they value. Three questions were given to help readers determine what they deem important and necessary.  When the article was posted, none of us knew how quickly life would be changed by the pandemic. No one saw the turmoil, anxiety and hardship that lurked ahead.

The coronavirus has changed nearly every facet of life. We are keenly aware of the distance that exists around us. Hand sanitizers and wipes are always close by. Coughs and sniffles are no longer innocent actions. All of these have become extremely relevant and important. But, I bet none of you mentioned any of these behaviors when you answered the question “what do you think life will be like in the future?”.

Covid 19 has definitely changed the way many families roll. When the year began, concerns revolved around school, activity calendars and what to post on social media. In fact, parents often complained about having too much to do and not enough time to get everything done. Today, we worry that there is nothing to do; that we have more time than money. We become restless because there is a lack of distractions. Instead of running around like our hair is on fire, we have time to think, reflect and dig deeply into our thoughts. And that makes us edgy.

It can be disconcerting to have ample time to think; to act rather than react; to plan rather than fly by the seat of our pants. Why? Because most of us don’t know how to embrace silence or down time. We have been snookered into believing that silence needs to be filled with noise or action or both. Silence to many of us is dead, unproductive time.

That truth reveals the opposite. Silence is actually golden. It has immense value for most of the answers we seek in life are found in silence. The famous French philosopher Blaise Pascal once remarked, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

Silence permits our mind to take in the world rather than skate its surface. It gives us the chance to ask ourselves what really matters in our life. It provides us with solitude, privacy and a stillness which are the lasting components of real peace of mind and heart.

Okay. The world has done a 180. It is drastically different then it was on New Year’s day. The pandemic has given us a lot to fret about. But it has also given us extra time to contemplate what really matters. Mother Theresa said this.

“The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace.”

Consider going back to the three questions asked in the first newsletter of 2020 and reflect on them in silence. You know you have the time to do it.