Across the world we are at varying stages of slowing down, lock-down and life pressing the pause button on us, due to the COVID-19 outbreak now in every country.
It seems to be the most effective way: space between us, to stop the spread of this virus.
It always takes space to create something new
It’s not just the space around us, this time of slowing down is creating a space within.
Each one of us is getting extra time to look at our lives, in fact we are getting the opportunity to get up-close and personal with the makeup of our lives and examine the contents.
No matter what your current circumstances and how much this year has shifted and changed for you – there are common themes and questions that are arising right now, even as we all struggle with the practical aspects of living through a pandemic.
Now that we’re past the TP panic, the rash of memes (oh! how we have to laugh to keep our sanity), the video call craziness that has become our real form of connection, thrown out this mad notion of home-schooling while trying to work from home (the latter on its own not actually a challenge for many), integrated the endless feeding of the bottomless pits that are our offspring into our new schedule, de-cluttered and sanitized our homes within an inch of our lives, walked the legs off our dogs within a 2km radius of our homes while we do our bit to #flattenthecurve in the comfort of our ability to #staythefuckhome.
In our swift adaption to new routine – where is that space ?
Because we are forced into new habits, behaviours and routines, it provides an opportunity for us to think – and to think differently.
What are our lives made up of?
When we are confined to our homes and families, we begin to realize what we had, mostly by what we miss most.
We also get to see friends and community that perhaps we hadn’t noticed. In my two weeks of self-isolation I found I had a ton of people that I could ask for favours and to run errands that I never would have considered.
We also get to see who we miss the most. I have an ever increasing list of ‘absolutely WILL DO coffee’ when we are out to play again.
All those things that we miss, may well move up in our post-pandemic life priorities.
What have you taken for granted?
The shock running through the world is a huge wake-up for many.
What was and that we took for granted is no more. It’s not possible to travel, it’s not possible to socialize, it’s not even possible to nip into Starbucks to grab a coffee with your name misspelled. Many of the services we used regularly are just shut. Gone. At least for the moment.
Everything that was, is no more – or at least is on a temporary hold.
Yes this too will pass.
Gratitude and appreciation will become our heartfelt language.
What will be different ‘after’?
Before rushing back to that old life of yours, think about what life you want to live?
The world will NOT go back to the way it was. Not a chance.
There will be suffering, lots of suffering in this time. That is the sad fact.
But look at it this way: suffering always means growth.
I know this to be true from my own life and through the lives of fabulous humans that I know very well.
We don’t like to suffer. At times we don’t like the journey of growth and change either. It’s messy, it’s raw, it forces us to self-examine, to be honest, to be vulnerable with ourselves.
Growth … if there is a destination it’s more light and peace. And dare I say it – it’s worth the suffering.
If that’s what it can bring individual people, what can it bring to a planet-full of people?
Suffering is the darkness of our lives, Growth brings us to the light, the peace.
