Pandemic Presents
A year ago today, my shoulders started to grow heavy and I could feel myself curling inward. Was it the weight of the world? Fear of the unknown? Fear in general? Things felt heavy with a sprinkle of excitement. Is it possible I was excited for the world to finally slow down?
I must share with you that I like to take things slow (and if you’re reading this and you know me… then this news will come as no surprise). I am an observer, a wanderer and wonderer. I take naps. I’m ok being bored and I get a TON of fulfillment from the space and time in between. In other words, I enjoy the pomp and circumstance but I really make my mark in all the swirls and twirls around it.
To a fault, I am also a silver linings person. Glass half full…actually always full because I believe all things “life” come with an opportunity to ponder, heal and grow. Even the hard stuff. And this past year was hard… near impossible at times. It caused devastation, sorrow and exhaustion across the entire planet. There is not one person (broad stroke statement) that has not felt shaken, rattled, uncomfortable or lost during these 365 days and yet, we can find tiny presents too.
So today, I’d like to share three of my Pandemic Presents… I suppose it’s a practice of gratitude.
First, I am thankful for the daily ritual of checking in with my dear friend every morning at 8:30 am on the dot! Well, give or take a few minutes depending on my daughter’s ability to extrapolate herself from the car in the morning and walk into school (not so much a morning person). My friend holds space for all the things happening in my head and heart and, 99.9% of the time, leaves me bent over in stitches laughing at something… anything. Laughter HAS BEEN the best medicine this past year.
Second, I mastered the large ball of cotton used to make spider webs and all things scary on Halloween. Confession~ I stink at decorations. I think Christmas decorations are acceptable all year long (minus the tree) and the creepy Halloween stuff always felt like a nuisance. But something shifted for me this year. I did a major “self check in” (Where were my limiting beliefs?) and discovered a new found love! Actually, I need to also thank my daughter Harley for this~ She brought it out of me. The cotton stuff was actually cool! And I managed to take it down on time too.
Third, I zero-ed in on my relationship with forgiveness. Oh, this is a biggie! And by no means, something that will ever be fully healed or run like a well oiled machine. It’s an ongoing process and yet, I decided to become friends with it instead of being in a constant battle. I learned to stop looking outward for the other to forgive and instead, look inside myself at the space this heartache was taking up. When we attach ourselves to an external outcome we are giving our power away to that person or situation (and most often it doesn’t happen). Instead, I poured my power inward and gave self-love to what hurt.
Silver linings… Pandemic Presents… Three words of gratitude… What are yours?
