The sound of the washing machine drones away in the other room, while a fighter jet streaks across the sky, making it difficult to hear my own thoughts. The hum of the a/c unit permeates the air, and I can hear Rita panting in the hallway.

Obtuse as these sounds may seem, my ears keep searching for more: the familiar din of my family that’s kept me company over the past eight and a half months.

I pause, searching with my ears for the sound of a Lego dropping on the wooden floor, the shout of a child upset at the injustice of his brothers taunts, or the rummaging of a hungry husband in the kitchen.

Still, there’s only the jets, the dog, and the washing machine.

My brain continues to prattle on with the list of things I should be doing, and I continue to peck away at the keys, somewhat successful at ignoring the urge to get up and start a deep clean of the entire house.

But isn’t that the way of things? When we’ve been doing the same thing for so long, or putting things on hold until “later,” it can be hard to switch gears, even if those gears are the very ones we’ve been dreaming of.

Life has a funny way of offering us endless opportunities to practice switching gears. It’s as if we’re forever re-adjusting our sea legs for living this dynamic life. COVID has been a good teacher for that.

But enough learning for now. Today is about relishing this fleeting moment spent in a quieter space. Then when my family returns, I’ll be ready to hear their stories of noisy classrooms, and busy brains with gratitude.

Sometimes, it’s the absence of what we desire most that can bring us the deepest gratitude and appreciation once we receive it.

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