When we were not looking, the whole world slipped on a new mantle, cloaking our once-familiar days with an alternate reality. For those fortunate enough to still be employed, weeks have merged into a blur of working while social distancing.
We’ve endured a continuous loop of zoom, swipe and
disinfectant; news updates, no hugging, uncertainty; nights merging into days
into twilights into nights again.
Unsplash Photographer Jon Tyson
How are we doing, really? And how is our sanity
measured -- by how we stay connected, how much Vitamin D we’re getting, how many
projects we’re finally getting to?
Maybe we should pump the brakes.
Not every expanse
of time needs to be optimized.
Not every waking moment needs to be a gorge-fest
of accomplishments.
There’s no need to make lemonade out of
this.
Unsplash Photographer Heather Gill
Dial it back.
Give yourself a free pass.
Relax.
Anchor yourself.
Sure: pursue the industry of the
day, but when it’s time to log off, try not to swim extra laps.
See if you can sit quietly instead. The extra
projects can wait; you need a Sacred Pause.
Unsplash Photographer John-Mark Smith
When you do move, move strategically. Plan for
breaks. Walks. Breathing. Eating. If you’re particularly blessed, lean into the
laughter of loved ones who share your sequestered space.
Unsplash photographer Mi Pham
Find a patch of sunlight and sit inside its
nurturing warmth.
When there is desolation, allow yourself to sit in
that shadow, too. Experience the heaviness.
There’s no need to squeeze something out
of this weirdness and make an elixir of happiness.
You can sit with the discord, the mess, the complete
lack of normalcy that currently defines our days.
It must be alright to experience your own emotions
because they give you empathy for others, insight into heartbreak and hope for
a better day.
On the other side of this, we’ll be plunking down a quarter for
a Styrofoam cup of watery lemonade at the corner of Time-Served and Emancipation.
And it will taste so good.
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