Marianna Schmiesing

Days need bones.
Without a skeleton, time—the ambiguous mass—flops from morning, to late morning, to midday haze, to “Oh my gosh, it’s only 2pm?”

Days need prayer.
Silence for the soul. A temporary “no” to the external in order to give a full “yes” to the internal. From whom do you receive your joy?

Days need meals.
Not just snacks; be part of the process. Take the time. Simmer. Wash the dishes.

Days need community.
You can only sing so many songs before the chorus starts to sound a little lacking. Join a choir. Ask for harmony.

Days need beauty.
It doesn’t have to be revolutionary. Keep it simple. But don’t be afraid to let the simplicity blossom.

I wrote this little section as an Instagram post this past summer. I waiting to fully dive into a new job, but I had a week or two that was simply my own. I had nothing tying me down, no structure I could lean into. I couldn’t call it a break, just a time of waiting. Slightly blissful, slightly anxious, slightly worried I had forgotten something, but also trying not to worry. 

A little lonely, a little directionless, a little too eager to give in to the cloud of apathy.

As I’m entering into this new week, I’ve been thinking about this post. Everything is shutting down. Schools, events, sports, gyms, restaurants, and churches. I’m still able to go to work, but our outreach has been greatly limited. And so many more people are now working from home, if they’re working at all. In a matter of about 48 hours, everyone’s lives suddenly changed. 

I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media about how to survive during this dystopian-like shutdown, from homeschooling advice to managing anxiety. So my two cents might not be worth too much and might be coming a little late, but I’m going to give them anyway.

Days need bones.

Wake up as you normally would (or give yourself an extra half-hour or so). The point is to keep it consistent.

Take a shower. Get dressed. Eat a good breakfast.

Go for a run or follow along with an exercise video. Get outside. Even during a quarantine, the sun still shines.

Schedule time to work, time to eat. Take breaks. Pinpoint times during the day or during the week when you have something to look forward to, whether it’s simply a movie at the end of the day or baking a cake.

Days need prayer.

If you aren’t able to go to mass, take time to read the daily readings. Some masses are being livestreamed. Open a new spiritual reading book.

If you’re used to going to church or an adoration chapel to pray, set up a prayer corner in a quiet part of your house. All you need is a chair, maybe a light or window, and a religious image or crucifix.

Keep track of what you are grateful for.

Whatever you, just don’t forget to talk to God.

Days need meals.

Break out that crockpot or cookbook your grandma gave you for Christmas. Finally, pick and make one of those hundreds of recipes you have saved on Pinterest.

If you’re no longer commuting, take that extra time to whip up something yummy.

Days need community.

This one is a little more difficult. There are two sides to this.

First, most obviously, community is currently being strongly advised against. But without human contact, we might fall into a deep loneliness. 

Call people. Call those people you’ve been thinking about calling for months. Call your grandma. Call home. 

But if you’re already at home…

Those around us are meant to smooth us out and soften our rough edges, but that’s not always a pleasant process. If you can barely survive a two-week Christmas vacation with your family, an unexpected two/three weeks with them will not sound great. It might sound like two/three weeks in a cement mixer.

Don’t forget to love your family, but also know when it’s time to go outside and take a walk. If you feel worn down, set aside more time for quiet and prayer. If needed, get up earlier or stay up a little later (but not too late) if you need peace and quiet to get things done.

Days need beauty.

Take time to appreciate. Take time to create.

Bake, paint, write, read. 

Open your windows, open your eyes, open your heart.

In uncertain and worrisome times, it’s important to not lose our peace and to stay focused on what’s truly important. Let us all pray for each other for greater peace, trust, and charity.