Fredericksburg Parent

6 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • Winter 2020 PUBLISHER Leigh Anne Van Doren Tabitha & Jamie Nelle's mom EDITOR & WEBMASTER Chris Jones Quincy, Hayden & Olive's dad MEDIA & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Megan Walsh: Mia, Noelle & Adelaide's mom DESIGN & PRODUCTION Cheryl Carter, Owner, Carter Creations Alex, Kate & Jackie's mom SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING MANAGER Lovedy Carroll: Meredith's mom CALENDAR & COOL THINGS TO DO ELETTER Leigha Pecher: Jake & Luke's mom EDUCATION AND INFANT ELETTERS Debra Caffrey: Aidan's mom parent fredericksburg & family Entrepreneur of the Year PROUD FOUNDING MEMBER ADVERTISING PHONE 540-429-3572 EMAIL leighanne@fredericksburgparent.net CALENDAR & SOCIAL MEDIA E-MAIL webmaster@fredericksburgparent.net EDITORIAL PHONE 540-429-3572 E-MAIL fredparenteditor@gmail.com SNAIL MAIL P.O. Box 7884, F'burg, VA 22404 www.fredericksburgparent.net The publishers reserve the right to reject any advertisement, editorial or listing that does not meet the publication's stan- dards. No part of this magazine may be reproduced with out permission. Listing and advertising rates are available upon request. Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information con- tained herein, however, the publisher cannot guarantee such accuracy. Listings and advertisements are sub- ject to typographical errors, ommissions and/or change without notice. For terms and conditions please visit our website at www.fredericksburgparent.net © Copyright 2019 Nurture, Inc. All rights reserved. LIKE facebook.com/ FredericksburgParent SIGN UP www.FredParent.net TWEET twitter.com/fredparent PIN www.pinterest.com/ fredparent FOLLOW @fredparentmagazine WRITTEN BY CHRIS JONES editor's note MIND like WATER Photo by Corey Miller Photography I recently watched an ESPN+ 30 for 30 documentary on Bruce Lee. If there was ever a man who persevered through challenges without losing his edge, it is he. In his most famous philosophical quote, there are nuggets of wisdom we should heed: "Be Water, My Friend. Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bo le, it becomes the bo le. You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can fl ow or it can crash. Be water, my friend." I like this quote because it's a reminder that external circumstances can't aff ect us if we refuse to be infl uenced by them. The water is unaff ected by the cup, the bo le or the teapot. It maintains its own integrity and integrates with its new environ- ment—and we would be wise to do the same. As we leave 2020 behind, some of its remnants will remain, and we don't know for how long. What we can do is fl ow through it. It's taken me the en re year to adjust to virtual schooling, hybrid schooling, less privacy at home, and grocery and house- hold bills that would make my spendthri father cry. I resisted change for months on end and reaped the consequences—depression, frustra on, anger, resentment. I lamented over how home and work used to be (blasted pandemic!). Once I resigned myself to fl ow through the circumstances, things changed. Not that I don't have challenging days, I do, but it is to say those are the excep on and not the rule. And I had to learn to take my own advice. I tell my kids, "Be a thermometer and not a thermostat. You control your temperature. Don't refl ect the temperature around you." It's true of peer pressure and living in a pandemic. Let's keep this in mind as we adjust to a diff erent holiday season devoid of our most treasured tradi ons. We don't have to like it, but we have to choose our response. Acceptance isn't a concession. Wisely naviga ng change is the route to freedom. I wish you a happy and safe holiday season and a cheerful New Year. I hope you and your family can enter 2021 with op mism and hope. But above all else, remember: Be water, my friend.

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