Check-In

What is bringing you joy these days?

What keeps you awake at night?

Our Experience

Sometimes when people ask me how I am doing, I am tempted to reply, “I don’t know. What have you heard?”

I am often the last person to know how I am doing. I am usually preoccupied with making sure that I am doing “the right thing.”

So, I was glad when Libby suggested these prompts.

“I find these questions helpful,” was her explanation.

I let her go first in answering the questions and was not surprised by what most recently brought her joy.

We just got back from going to Charlottesville, Virginia to see our 15-year-old grandson, Mac, play in his first home JV football game. He starts on offense as a slot receiver and also on defense as a cornerback. Plus, he is the long-snapper for punts and is on the kick-off team. In the first half he had an interception and closed the half with a 49-yard touchdown catch. He also made several tackles, but the clincher came when he ran a second interception back 95 yards for a touchdown.

So, the night could not have gone better. Seeing his siblings, Sawyer, Lucy and Molly fills our cup up plenty so the exploits on the field were icing on the cake.

What keeps Libby awake at night?

“The children in Gaza,” was her immediate answer.

“Children suffering wherever they are,” she added.

Of course, she also has concern for any family member facing a challenge. We both do.

Regarding what brings me joy, any conversation where I get to encourage and enjoy a child or grandchild is instantly life-giving.

Checking-in with ourselves helps us to be grateful and trusting. Grateful for the joys and trusting with the challenges.

And checking-in with each other helps us be friends.