Keeping the Main Thing, The Main Thing

Keeping the Main Thing, the Main ThingsLife, man. As anyone who has access to a computer, television or social media can attest, it has been a bit of a struggle to watch the sometimes daily craziness surrounding the world play out. This side against that…he said, she said…rumors, anger, violence…on and on.

It’s overwhelming.

Not to mention the “How do we address all of this with our children?” question. Goodness, gracious. How do we? I used to be mainly concerned with how to talk to them about strangers and bullies and now I’m seeing ads for bullet proof backpacks and rethinking our next family trip by way of airport travel.  All of this on top of the just normal everyday craziness that is parenting.

Like I said…overwhelming.

It is not lost on me the ways in which myself and my family are privileged. For the most part the crazy “what if” worries I fear are just that…worries. I am well aware that other families might not be as easily able to rationalize these “what if”s because, to some families worries are more. To some families, they are a reality. A fact of daily life. Geography can be a blessing and a curse. Still, the relative peace my family is granted right now might not always be the case. I learned last summer after suddenly losing my mom at age 54 that I do not have total control over my circumstances or those surrounding me.

Sometimes, it can all get to be much too much.

Thankfully, I have found that during the times it feels like more than I can handle I am made aware of something–a phrase, a photo, a memory…that allows me to get it back in check. A few years ago I saw a friend post about her day on social media. It was one of those days where with a newborn, a working husband, a toddler and a school age child she was attempting to homeschool, and her life was seemingly caving in. You can imagine the scene…the baby had been screaming for hours, trying to nurse and soothe said baby with an energetic toddler, a newly minted kindergartner and the daily chaos that is laundry, cooking, cleaning, groceries. She was real about the struggle however, upon showing a picture of her messy house she, instead of focusing on the negative, simply stated (I’m paraphrasing here) that while life was difficult, she was focusing on “keeping the main thing, the main thing.” That phrase has stuck with me ever since.

I was reminded of her words the other day after closing an article on my computer highlighting the umpteenth horrific act of violence happening in life and feeling like the idea of living on a plot of dirt in the middle of nowhere was sounding like a better and better idea (anyone else with me on that? sheesh.). Her words flashed in my mind.

“Keeping the main thing, the main thing.”

Life is messy, and honestly we are guaranteed nothing. If I could wave a magic wand and take away the pain from this world, I would. I imagine many of us feel the same. But, alas that is not possible, nor is it my job. I can, however do everything in my power to focus on my family, on my children. On guiding them with kindness, respect and LOVE. I can focus on positivity in a seemingly negative environment. All while hoping and praying that positivity is instilled in my children and that they will go forth and share those same feelings with the people in their lives. And while I’m still not sure the best way to address any of this with my children, I pray that they will know when life feels stressful, overwhelming, full of doubt, fear or anxiety the words their mama told them about focusing on “keeping the main thing, the main thing” will ring loud and clear.

 

lindseylitzner
Lindsey is thrilled to be back home in Kansas. She grew up across from a cornfield in a little town just North of Wichita, met her husband in High School and their young love carried them through college. The two married after graduation & began the adventure of Medical School, Residency, and Fellowship that took them to 3 states (um, 7 moves!) in 10 years. During that time, Lindsey taught first grade until she had the first of two children and began her role as a stay-at-home mama. Recently, she turned her love of fashion & design into a consulting business. Lindsey credits her role as owner of Huck & Leni Personal / Interior Styling as allowing her to be true to herself as a woman & as a mama. She admits the balance is sometimes tricky, but hey...that's why there's coffee, right?