Posted on by Jennifer Cyr · 3 Comments

Hi there!

I’ve started writing a few times only to delete and begin again…over and over. I’m sitting in my kayak, floating on my favorite small lake. The sun is shining, the water is calm except for the occasional wake from others. And my thoughts are scattered.

Back in May, my gramps passed away. He was 99 years old, and it was his time. Covid-19 was not the culprit, though it impacted his death: only brief end of life visits from close family, one person per day…no service of any kind, and no one was allowed to attend the burial despite the outdoor location because it was a veterans cemetery and the guidelines prohibited it. I’ve decided to write a book about him to help me cope, also though, to honor the extraordinary man that he was. It’ll take awhile, though….

My aunt is dying. She has stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. She’s 79 now, diagnosed a year ago and still kickin’! She appears weak, fragile, and a little scattered at times, but it doesn’t slow her down. And her attitude is just as feisty as its always been. In my adult years, we have become much closer and if she left this earth tomorrow, I’d know that we spent our time well, and that she knows how important she is to me.

And I have a new baby nephew and I would very much like to meet him…Covid-19 is keeping me away though. I don’t want to risk giving him germs or getting any myself on the way to visit. So I stay away. My fear is that the virus will skyrocket again and it’ll be a year or more till I can meet him…but caring means staying home, right?

And I published my third children’s book! It was a collaboration with my mentor, Louise Dietzel…and it turned out wonderfully! The children love the pictures and the adventure that they get to have along with the story, and Louise teared up when I brought copies to her-she was so pleased. It is not yet in bookstores, but can be found here for now. My illustrator created a website featuring our books which led to me writing a descriptive sentence that I am quite proud of: “Stories that nurture the hearts and minds of young children and that strengthen the spirit of the adults who love them.”

That’s enough for now I suppose…I’m surprising myself these days…eating better, exercising, focusing on building relationships with friends, and by being just…ME!

Posted on by Jennifer Cyr

Remember me?

Sooooo…I’ve been avoiding lots of things lately among this stay-at-home period. One of those has been my blog, and for those of you who actually like to know what’s going on in my brain, my apologies.

I’ve had to work really hard to stay focused on what’s right in front of me. Otherwise, I become overwhelmed and a sort of paralysis settles in. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t spend some of my extra time being lazy…I love a good “fuzzy blanket and cup of tea” kinda day! I’m going to run down a list of some of the tools I’ve been using to stay well and healthy in a minute.

I just want to take a minute to say THANK YOU! There are so many people who are still working to meet the needs of their community and I’m so grateful. Not only are their services vital, their uninterrupted routines give the rest of us worriers a sense of security and hope, reminding us that life goes on and will return to normal again at some point. So THANK YOU!

So here is what helps me when I begin to spiral in this age of unknowns and unpredictability…

  • Advocacy! Helping my fellow providers helps me
  • Reaching out to my favorite people (not just my family, but the friends that make me feel alive and energized)
  • Connecting with nature
  • The ritual of making a hot cup of tea
  • Reading a good paperback
  • Watching tv-helps me turn off my thinking brain
  • Forcing myself into a routine…this is a challenge, and now that I’m doing it, it is getting easier
  • Skipping the news helps
  • Yoga and exercise in general
  • Mindfulness-I tell myself “right now everything is ok” (I only allow myself to think forward if it’s positive, like my next book or my beach vacation)
  • Allowing myself lots of naps and downtime (adjusting to the thoughts and worries that try to creep in and fighting them is hard work)
And this helps too…written by a friend of a friend
Posted on by Jennifer Cyr

Coronavirus and Depression

So as this virus is pretty much the only news right now, colleges are shutting down, the NCAA is banning fans from events, meetings conferences are being cancelled…I’m struggling to avoid a depressive episode.

I know it’s important to stay informed and up to date on recommendations from the CDC and the VHD. And I know how incredibly contagious this is, and dangerous to those immuno-compromised…I know that some of my loved ones fall into the category of highly vulnerable.

I also know that if I think about it too much, I will become paralyzed. I will overthink to the point of hyperventilating, panic attacks, and an overwhelming sense of dread…

So forgive me if I tuck my sea turtle head back into my shell…it’s how I survive and function amid the chaos in the media and my community…I have no choice.

You see…I care for young children. All they care about is getting to their favorite toy, or climbing a tree…they want to feel safe and secure with their care provider. If I’m a mess, they will be too.

So this turtle will stay the course and keep herself safe…please don’t judge me. I am doing the best I can.

Here’s an article that may help

(And on a professional note, I’m taking this virus as seriously as I can in my role as a child care provider)