As Passover approaches, we asked our readers and writers: What do you need an exodus from? Here’s the next installment in our “What’s Your Exodus?” series.
Every day after lunch (well, almost every day), my 3-year-old son Ben takes a nap… and so do I. If the phone rings or an email comes through during nap time, I ignore it. Later, reconnecting, I often hear myself say something like, “I’m embarrassed to confess that I closed my eyes today while Ben was sleeping.” It’s that self-deprecating armor against some imagined (internal?) judgment that I seek liberation from–not the naps. The naps make me a happier Mommy, and isn’t happiness something free people get to feel?
My personal exodus is to break free from toxic relationships–to stop tolerating people in my life who bring me down or who don’t make happy to be around them. Life’s too short to surround myself with people who would try to rain on my parade!
This year I want to break free from “should.” I get into this habit of thinking, “Well, it’s not like that in reality, but it SHOULD be.” As if by sheer force of will I could change circumstance or personalities. It’s not like this way of thinking has ever done anything but make me frustrated, so I think it’s about time to stop obsessing about what “should” be in my life, and embrace what is in my life. Which, frankly, is a whole lot of goodness.
I want to break free from constantly checking my phone. Dayenu!
What’s your exodus this year? Let us know tweeting @Kveller with #WhatsYourExodus.
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