The Gift of the Great Pause

Maybe we need to flip the narrative…? Rather than being a prisoner of the virus and all that surrounds it, why not take it that you have been granted a 9 month sabbatical from life as you knew it. What would you do? How would you handle it?

Raise your bar a bit…

I’ve decided for the sake of my mental health instead of viewing this as highly restrictive, I’m going to approach it from a different way. Isn’t that what problem solving is about? It appears that the novelty of being at home, being restricted has worn off and it’s left me binge watching vapid television, believing that newscasters are my friends and consuming my body weight in Christmas cookies and other gluten-free baked goods. I felt a bit of excitement with the rollout of the vaccine only to realize that this is the beginning of a very involved, supply chain nightmare that I will cross paths with sometime in the next 6 to 9 months. Which if I would use my logical mind, is fair. I am not an essential worker. I am not on the front line of saving people. I am just trying to not become one of the people that need saving. My new life goal is not to become a statistic. As my mother would tell me, it’s time to raise your bar a bit.  I need patience, I need focus maybe I even need a hobby…oy! starting to sound like the stereotypical privileged Florida retiree… Is it time for mah jong yet?

Comfort and no Joy

Part of my seclusion was discovering that I really am a natural introvert. I do prefer being alone or nearly alone. I have books, historic documentaries, and art of all kinds to keep me comforted and occupied, yet they are somewhat lacking. Even though I live in a wonderful place, it is confining when relegated to a stay-at-home mindset. I’ve always had a small family, holidays were never about huge gatherings. If anything I envied people who celebrated the holidays with their extended families. I always wanted to be like them until now. Unfortunately this year, you are experiencing my world. This year your world is now reduced to wishing Christmas away just to get through it, I’m sad for you. It does not feel good, I know. It feels really bad. Mitigating the sadness needs to be an area of focus, people are living, breathing and need touch, reassurance and kindness. A friend reminded me during a rough patch, that we all are going though something. Some people are more overt in their malaise, others suck it up and there are a few that even write about it… gasp! I had viewed myself as someone who sucks it up, unfortunately it turns out that I write about it.  I am tired of being tired of the sadness. I know these times do not require a constant facade of happiness, but we can be positive. I believe we can offer kindness in many ways.

Out damn 2020, be gone…

I am taking the next 9 months of my life as if it was a gift of self-discovery. I will approach it from a position of gratitude, kindness, learning and exploration. It is a gift. It is the gift of the Great Pause! I will view the year 2020 as an exercise in humanity gone wild. There are many public examples, citations where we as a society went completely off the rails. I remember working for many years with my sights on the end of the run rather than the journey. It appears that there is a second chance to exercise my mind, body and spirit muscles. This might be the growth spirt I need, maybe you do too. I am going to eave 2020 in the dust and concentrate of looking forward and only forward.

Virtual Gift Exchange

I am looking forward to unwrapping my gift. There is a lot to unpack. There is also much to be examined, embraced, and even discarded. I might be the best use of my Marie Kondo skills. There is the opportunity to vision board, roadmap, learn how to do something new. Terrifying and satisfying all in the same breath. There will be the opportunity to plan trips, I miss the world and yes, I do miss people in my weird introverted way. In my belief system, I think down deep I wanted someone to come along and make this all go away. I have never done anything the easy way; easy usually brings disaster with it. I find that when I do learn on my own, I yield the most. I cannot discover a vaccine, but I can make the world a kinder place. And I will try every day with my actions and my words.

I will share with you my gift’s bounty. I am started to get excited about the ensuing merriment. I hope you receive the same.

Merry Christmas to you.