Giving myself grace so I can continue to find joy in my life.
Giving myself grace even when I’m not feeling 100%.
Giving myself grace for those times when it would be easier to just sink down into that dark, deep void of nothingness.
Giving myself grace by focusing on what’s most important to me.
Giving myself grace by continuing to get up early, shower, and get dressed.
Giving myself grace by being present with my husband throughout the day.
Giving myself grace by continuing to write even when I just have no idea what I’m trying to say.
Giving myself grace because no one else can and then where will I be?
Giving myself grace so that I can make a difference to my students and others around me.
Giving myself grace to slow down and be grateful for all that life has given me.
Giving myself grace in spite of sometimes not giving myself grace.
Cross posted to The Two Writing Teachers Tuesday Slice of Life Challenge.
Elisa Waingort 
I love, love, love this post! That last line resonated!
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Thank you, Jennifer!
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Elisa, your reflective piece speaks directly to what is needed in these most challenging. Your proposals speak of actions that sustain healthy attitudes -a most vital consideration. If we deal with ourselves, we will hopefully be better placed to appreciate those who matter to us. Well said.
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Thank you for your comment, Alan. I’m working on this! Today someone talked about “radical grace” on a Twitter chat – grace amplifies tenfold. Love that idea! Stay well.
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Yes! We are all operating under different “guidelines” these days. Pandemic fatigue is real. I am not accomplishing as much as I’d like at home and at work (Already! Librarians start early.). But I keep reminding myself that if there’s one thing this situation has given me, it’s the gift of time–including time to get the library space cleaned up and ready for whenever I can welcome folks back to it.
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So true! We can never disparage the gift of time no matter how it arrives at our doorstep. Good luck with getting set up. I still have a few weeks before it will be me “setting up”, however that materializes.
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Such a powerful and important reminder. Your post got me thinking about how we can give grace to others if we aren’t able to do that for ourselves. Also thinking about grace as a precondition for joy–that’s so thought-provoking!
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Hmm. Grace as a precondition for joy! Yes! I’m reading bell hooks’ book, All About Love, and I think that grace and joy are both intertwined in what she calls a “love ethic” – we need to love ourselves, in the broad sense of the word, before we can love others in community. This inevitably brings joy. Such a powerful book and so relevant to our times.
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