Surviving As Mom

Being stuck at home all the time is horribly boring and isolating. Even though I live with my husband and 4 children, I am still terribly lonely. The loneliness is excruciating! I crave human interaction, even though I often can’t handle much of it. It’s easy to get sucked into depression, and I often find myself in a very dark place. I’ve had to take steps to learn to pull myself out of this place before it completely consumes and destroys me.

I’ve learned about meditation and mindfulness. I’ve read lots of books on Buddhism that teach these practices. It seemed ridiculous at first, but it started making sense and when I put it to use, I actually started to feel a little lighter. In short, I’ve had to learn to find happiness in each day, even if I have to search really hard for it. I make a point to find at least one thing each day to enjoy and be thankful for. I learned that even if everything seems to be going wrong, there is ALWAYS something good hiding in the darkness. You just have to find it.

One of these little nuggets of joy each day is the wildlife in my yard. I get lots of birds, squirrels, rabbits, and the occasional deer. Many people would call these critters pests, but I welcome them! They are my loyal visitors and they are so cute to watch. They always put a smile on my face and brighten my mood, even on rainy days. As long as I offer a steady supply of food, they come back to me. I bought a bird feeder pole that holds multiple feeders and I placed it right outside my kitchen window so I can sit at the table and enjoy the show while I eat or enjoy a cup of tea. There is also a birdbath nearby so I can enjoy watching the birds splash in the water. I love nature!! I get such pretty birds! My regular visitors include blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, chickadees, doves, and lots of squirrels. I can’t wait for the warmer spring weather to see what else comes to visit me. When a deer visits, it feels like a magical experience! They stay far in the back of my property, but as long as I can see them, I’m happy.

Of course there are other things that bring me joy and peace, but I’ll save that for another post. I’m always looking for new things to be positive and thankful for to keep from drowning in depression. I enjoy my animal visitors. They make me happy 😊.