If you are as happy as I am that this week marked the return of a certain female morning television anchor (after her five-month maternity leave), then we have something in common! Hoda Kotb returned to the Today Show on Tuesday morning, and judging by the large crowds that were there to welcome her back, I am not her one and only fan. Hoda’s maternity leave (and return to work) made headline news, not only because she is a popular public figure, but also because of her age…she turned 55 last month. I have always said that older Moms make the best ones because of their inherent patience, wisdom and grace. Hoda would be the first to tell you that she is a better mother today than she would have been decades ago when she was extremely career-focused. She has openly talked about how different her life is today than it was just three years ago and that you never know what lies ahead of you.
The Today Show is known for its “Syria to Syrup” approach to the news, meaning in just a few hours every morning, the topics range the gamut from the violence, protests and civil war in Syria to the latest and greatest maple syrup recipe. I tune in every morning to stay informed on the news.Who would have ever thought that the most I learned from that show would come from the five month period that Hoda was not on the air? In the few interviews that she granted while she was on her leave, Hoda described her simple and delightful daily routine with her children. Hoda said that every morning, she did the same thing with her two daughters (a 2 year old toddler and a brand new baby) which included going to the same shop to get their morning muffins and then spending time blowing their "morning bubbles". For the first time ever in her life, she unplugged from the news, social media, and her habit of constantly checking her phone for updates and messages. She said it helped her to get into the “present moment” and to be fully participatory in her daughters’ daily lives. Her two year old daughter Haley taught her the best lesson of all…it’s the simple things that matter. This week she described the delight that her daughter had in discovering that her shirt had pockets (“Look Mom, I have pockets!!!”) and how tickled she was by a trip up an escalator ("Wow! Mom, isn't this amazing?!"). Now that she is back to work, Hoda has made herself a promise to live each day the same way she did when she was off from work…relishing every moment, finding joy in the simple things and turning her devices off for long periods of time.
When you unpack Hoda’s recent experiences, there is no shortage of take-aways ready to be implemented in our own lives. I think it was many, many years ago when I lost the excitement about taking an escalator.Nowadays, all I think about is “can’t this thing go any faster?” or whenever I go to the movies at Colonie Center - “why do they have 2 ‘up’ escalators and not a ‘down’ one?” Hoda’s daughter is right…what an incredible invention! Imagine if we looked at everything around us through the eyes of a child? We would find curious excitement and elated emotion around every turn!
Studies have shown that being connected 24/7 to our devices has led to us being over-anxious, stressed, depressed and lonely. When we put ourselves on a “digital diet”, our stress level goes down and so does our blood pressure. Why then do we find it so hard to unplug?
When my friend Lisa’s son got married, they handed out bubbles to every single guest.When the minister pronounced them husband and wife, we were invited to take out our magic wands and blow bubbles all over the outside reception. It was beautiful and transformative! Not only did the gorgeous bride and handsome groom look fantastic surrounded by the bubbles which were reflecting the sunset, but the guests were instantly brought back to a simpler and magical time…all through the mere and simple act of blowing bubbles. I am happy to say that I brought my bubbles container home with me, but sad to tell you that I haven’t used them since. That was before I heard Hoda’s summer story! I love the idea of Morning Bubbles! I am going to figure out a way to bring them into my life. In the shower? On the front porch? On my morning treadmill walk? The location doesn’t matter, it’s the simplicity and magic of the bubbles which count.
Instead of hitting the ground running when we start our day, it would be nice to have a morning ritual that serves as a daily reminder to unplug, ground ourselves in the present moment, and find joy in the simple things. You may come up with your own idea or adopt the Morning Bubbles one. Let’s all make a vow to try this! If you turn on the Today Show one morning and Hoda reports that there has been a spike in the sales of bubbles, then we will know that we are responsible!