Searching the lost and found

We made it through almost the whole winter without my son losing any of his winter gear (toque, mitts, etc.). A few weeks ago, however, he came home wearing one black mitt (from his good new pair) and one lime green mitt (from his spare old pair). Being in kindergarten, the exploration of what happened was pretty brief:

Me - "Where is your other black mitt?"

Him - (shrugs) "I don't know"

Thus began the search for the missing mitt. We've checked and double checked his backpack, the house, the garage, the lost and found at school (although to be fair only one of them so far). It's impressive the things that were in the lost and found...multiple mitts, gloves, scarves, toques, even some ski pants!

As of this writing, the missing mitt hasn't surfaced yet. Maybe it will show up in another lost and found. Or maybe it is gone forever (to the same place that missing socks go). Of course, thankfully, we can get another pair of mitts, and hopefully they won't even be needed again until next winter.

But the experience has really highlighted how easy it can be for something important to go missing almost without our awareness.

We carry on with our day-to-day activities, invested in making sure our clients are well taken care of, our family members are well taken care of, but perhaps putting our own needs aside.

Just for this day.

Just for this week.

Just for this season.

Until one day we walk in the door and we are not only missing our new black mitt, but we have lost connection with a more vibrant version of ourselves. And we don't really know how it happened.

The good news is that finding and reconnecting with that more vibrant self can be easier and more successful (and less smelly) than sifting through an elementary school lost and found bin.

Just by reading this blogpost you are already taking a step in the right direction.

If you would like to take even bigger steps, surrounded by a cheering-squad of other female mental health clinicians, please join us for our newest online offering, Thrivival Skills for Therapists! 

We don't have to sift through the lost and found alone!