I’ll Take Languish for $500, Alex

There’s a word that aptly describes us at times.

It’s not my favorite word, and it is one of those words that is not often used in the general vernacular. But it describes how we as human beans get to feeling at times:

Languish.

Does this word’s definition roll off your tongue the minute you hear it? It doesn’t for me, so bear with me as I cut and paste the definition here.

1. a :to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated    b : to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality

2. a :to become dispirited   b : to suffer neglect –the bill languished in the Senate for eight months.

Thank you, Merriam Webster Online for your help this morning.

Back to languish. Home-educating Moms and Dads can easily have their batteries sucked dry by constant oversight and management of children. We have our children with us 24/7 for the most part, and while that is a huge blessing, we are deprived of precious recharging time because we are together 24/7.

What eventually happens to any electronic device that is battery powered? It will stop functioning if not given a fresh jolt of electricity or a fresh battery altogether, right?

And what are the symptoms of a device that is beginning to lose its charge? It slows down, it begins to get dimmer if it has a light, and it no longer responds crisply.

It begins to languish.

It becomes more and more feeble and weak. If this device had feelings, it would begin to feel depressed. Down. Miserable. It might even cry.

Just as all-things-battery-powered need a fresh charge or even a brand-new battery on a regular basis, so human beings need a fresh charge on a very regular basis. How often? That is a relative question, as we all are different. I find that I need a daily recharge, and if I don’t stop everything and take the time to recharge, before long I am languishing. It ain’t pretty.

To be the best we can be, we need to take time to recharge. I know you know that, and  I know that, yet we still neglect to STOP and take that time to  just be.

Do you feel as though you are languishing right now? Weak, feeble, barely functioning? Depressed? Glass-half empty viewpoint? Those are definitive signals that your battery is weak and need a recharge.

Do you have a daily formula for your own battery preservation? (I know….all these questions….but they are important, I promise.) If you are a Mom, chances are REALLY GOOD that your battery is being drained moment by moment due to your blessings and their needs. 🙂

None of us enjoys languishing. It’s not fun, and those around us don’t enjoy it much either. But the alternative takes some self-discipline and strength to say, “I need to be alone and pray,” or “I need to go walk and think,” or fill in the blank with whatever you need to do to get your battery charged for TODAY.

And just like the manna from heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness, the recharging is generally just enough for today. Tomorrow we will need to start over and take that time once again in order to receive what we need to not just exist, but to thrive.

If you are languishing, I gently encourage you to recharge in some way today. Make that effort to do what you know will recharge you, be it exercise, prayer, reading, writing, or all of the above, or WHATEVER. You are wired to need more power than exists in your battery pack. Plug into the Source, and come back to life. 🙂

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About the Author

Joanne Calderwood has been called America’s Homeschool Mom. She is an underwhelmed Mom of eight great kids, owner of URtheMOM.com, and an author and columnist. Her new book, The Self-Propelled Advantage: The Parent’s Guide to Raising Independent, Motivated Kids Who Learn with Excellence, enables parents to teach their kids to teach themselves with excellence.