I was talking with a friend of mine the other day. She talked about how their family was managing the disruption to their life -- navigating kids at home, while trying to work from home as well -- it’s a lot, and it is really hard. I’m sure you in some way or another have felt this struggle. My friend shared with me that earlier that day her 10-yr old daughter broke down and had a 40 minute tantrum. At the end, she went and sat on the couch and said, “I miss going to school. I miss my friends.” There’s a lot packed into those two short sentences, and the pain that came before it. Her daughter’s response may seem out of the ordinary, but the truth, is that it speaks to the emotions that not only our young people feel, but many if not most of us might be experiencing. As a youth worker, I try to help young people name their feelings, and learn how to respond in healthy ways. What are ways you “regulate” your emotions?
There is a great podcast that I have really enjoyed listening to from Brene Brown called, Unlocking Us. In a conversation with Dr. Marc Brackett, they talk about how we as a society do a pretty terrible job at navigating how we really feel (“we have been trained to fake our feelings, we mask them”). It is a really great conversation, and I invite you to listen to it. And know that it is ok to feel whatever it is your feeling. We’re living in an unprecedented moment. My prayer for you is that you are able to find some rest and care in this moment. Be gentle and have compassion with yourself. I leave you with this "mantra" from Kate Bowler. God is here. We are loved. It is enough. I hope to "see" you soon! Grace y paz, Rev. Mark Mares
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