Nothing Lasts

'Fed up.' 'Pushed too far.' 'At the end of my tether.' 'At wits end.' At the brink.' 'Depressed.' these are the emotions depths we can sink to as mothers.

When I'm feeling at my lowest ebb emotionally, I notice my tendency to generalize the negativity: everything is dreadful, it always has been and it always will be and it's all my fault -- and everybody else's too. It sounds almost comical when I'm in a lighter mood but at the time I believe these thoughts. With its emphasis on impermanence, Buddhism helps us at such times acknowledge that the mood will pass, that we won't feel like this for long and might even feel quite happy in a few hours' time; we can weather it for now and avoid assigning it any major significance.

I'll try to remember that the next time all three kids are crying or screaming. :)