For all you moms and dads who are still struggling, newly struggling, or about to struggle as we enter a new season with or without our kids at home, here are some comforting thoughts and suggestions to ponder.

A wise old man was talking to a boy and said, “There are two wolves always fighting inside me. One is filled with anger, hate, jealousy, shame and lies. The other is filled with love, joy, truth and peace. This battle rages inside of you and all men.” The boy thought for a moment and asked, “Which wolf will win?” “The one you feed.” replied the old man.

Of course to me it’s easier to feed the bad wolf because it’s always been an ongoing effort for me to see the glass half full. I’m curious though. If you’re reading this blog, and if you’re giving the wolf story any thought, which wolf is usually fed in your world?

The past several months seem to have shaped our lives with fear, worry and hopelessness. We’ve become resentful, insecure and unable to be in the ‘right now’. Our minds are filled with what if’s? why this? and endless assumptions.

The coming season can be one that connects us with people, nurtures our minds and souls, and helps us “shift” away from our current perspectives. We can perceive people and situations in a new way if we first make ourselves aware of our need for this change.

How can we make that shift? Why does it matter that we do? It matters. It matters for our peace of mind, it matters for our children and it matters for people around us.

Are you able to take a walk alone in nature? Or sit completely by yourself outdoors? Make the effort. No phone, no company, no music. Listen, smell, feel and be aware of things around you and the effect it has on you. Is it calming? Does it help you re-charge, even for a few moments? That matters, because in those few moments, our perspective has changed and we’ve made a slight shift.

Seek other ways to feel those few moments again … play with a pet, meditate for a few minutes, open a bible, take a longer than normal shower. Every moment like this that we give ourselves is a moment that nurtures our minds and helps us connect in a deeper and more meaningful way to people around us and our situations.

Denzel Washington puts it this way. “At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished … it’s about who you’ve lifted up and who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”

Everything we’re experiencing has already been experienced by others. If we can simply reach out to nature, or reach out to others, perhaps through this forum or another, we can experience that shift of perspective. In doing so, it will ultimately help us view this new season as a positive change rather than a fearful one.

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Please leave a comment, because someone else may need to hear what you have to say today.