So much going on, both inside and outside of my brain. I’ve had a lot to say and it all bleeds together and nothing has come out clearly, so I’ve been quiet here on the writing front.
I decided to be productive (in terms of writing) by transcribing onto the computer some pieces for my book that I had written by hand a while back.
I wrote one bit about change and about how we typically require a traumatic life event before we evaluate where we are and what we’re doing. (And how that’s really too bad.) Also about the fork in the post-trauma road—some people take the opportunity to do better, to be better (for whatever that means to them), while others become bitter or closed off. I wonder why. (I’m sure people have researched this, and I’m sure I’d be interested to read about it, and I’m sure that I already have more on my plate than I can do and I will not add that right now.)
It was really interesting reading my thoughts about all that at this time.
We’re experiencing a world-wide trauma. Narrowing focus to just our country, people have been in various degrees of shelter-in-place for, at most, three to four months.
Some people have accepted it but are wilting within it. Some accepted and are thriving. (Those variations have as much to do with who’s in your house and how they interact—if there are others—as much as who you are.) Many haven’t accepted it.
It’s an opportunity to reevaluate what we’re doing day to day without thinking about it. Daily habits.
It’s an opportunity to change spending and saving habits.
It’s an opportunity to clean out the house and get rid of internal elements that are sucking up energy. (I used to be a “yeah it’s a mess but I know where everything is” kind of person and would not have believed that I would feel better with everything neat, uncluttered, tidy … and yet here I am, tangibly more peaceful when my house is tidy.)
It’s an opportunity to help others. (You don’t always need to be in proximity to a person to be helpful.)
It’s an opportunity to cook new things or read new things or explore new things (or old things that got set aside).
It’s an opportunity to be creative, whether literally (the arts, woodworking, app creation, LEGO building without directions, etc.) or in figuring out what to do with the kids … or with yourself.
It’s an opportunity to learn how to meditate. To breathe. To stretch.
Sure, you can argue that we shouldn’t have to shelter-in-place, that money is more important than people, that it’s all fiction, etc., but you’re denying yourself the opportunity to grow.
Is it hard? Of course it is. But you can do hard things.
*Of course it’s not possible in this moment for everyone. Nothing is. But it’s possible for an awful lot of people right now.