So, it’s been a minute. The pandemic, coronatine, quarantine, whatever we are calling it, gave me a nice brain fog. I inhaled in shock and it took me a really long time to exhale. I, like everyone else, was caught by surprise. I’m not a stranger to a lockdown. When I need to focus inward or learn something new, I’ve quarantined myself many times. I don’t want the world disrupting my learning curve, so I was not completely opposed to a shutdown. I, however, have never had the experience of the entire planet having to shutdown with me. I can take it. I can go with the flow. Can everybody else?
Is “shock” a good word for the feelings I felt? You bet! I know how to be quiet. I know when I need to be quiet to allow new information in. Most of the planet, I’m not so sure about. At first I was grateful for the rest. I saw it as an opportunity for the planet to reset. How long would it take I wondered. How long would it take for enough people on the planet to learn to think in new ways?
After my initial panic, I started to see it as a beautiful opportunity to pivot. Pandemic contemplations I’m calling it. We all have an opportunity to look at our lives, to really look at our little worlds, our bubbles, and decide what we love, what we really don’t need, and what we can live without. We can look at the things, the many many things we can let go of. It can be a nice surprise to see how much we can really don’t need and can let go of. Honey, people are cleaning out closets, and garages, reorganizing homes and giving away massive quantities. It’s freeing. How long will it last? Will this new way of being stick? How many people will it take to create a tipping point for the whole world to change?
There are a million conversations to be had right now. How can we maintain the good things this world slowdown is showing us? The air is cleaner. The world is quieter. I cannot tell you how much I love waking up in the morning and can actually hear birds chirping! I also love the fact that I don’t hear people rushing off to places in robot fashion without taking the time to think about why they are doing it and if it’s really what they want, or if it’s worth it.
Cooking meals, eating with the other members of the household, gardening, baking breads, putting together jigsaw puzzles, crafting in hundreds of new ways, rediscovering what a slow existence is and how good it feels. Going deeper. I love it, but I know not everybody does. Not everyone wants to sit with their thoughts.
Here’s the good thing though, many people welcomed the opportunity to sit with their thoughts. They didn’t even know they wanted to do it but here’s this opportunity. The whole planet didn’t have a choice.
We’re discovering what the definition of real power is. We’re seeing what real power looks like, or is it that we have the time to define for ourselves what real power is? We can define for ourselves how we want to participate in the world. You know what? That can be really scary. We’re accustomed to having the world dictate to us what we should be doing, and now in a quiet world, in a world shut down, we get to decide for ourselves how we want to participate in the world. The world had to get sleepy for its wakeup call. I being a contrarian, I being the person who doesn’t always want to follow a crowd is pleased at the prospect of a shift.
There is so much more to discuss, so I’m going to take these pandemic contemplations in small bites. How are you doing?
I have a new friend. I’m not sure if I like her. She shows up when she feels like and she affects the way I behave in the world, the way I feel, and how I act with others. She wears a pink skirt and combat boots. You’d think with the pink skirt that she’d be nice, but those damn combat boots give her so much attitude. I don’t know if she is a friend or not, but what I know for sure is that she is not going anywhere. She’s made that abundantly clear.
One minute I’m fine. I’m living my life and doing my thing and the next minute there’s a furnace in my midsection that decided to turn itself on high heat. I didn’t make any requests. I didn’t over-exert myself. In fact, I was keeping my mouth shut and minding my own business. I very politely disrobe, if I’m alone of course, and I stand in front of a fan. Five minutes later it’s over and I hear Perimini’s (that’s what I’m calling her) quiet cackle in the background.
Was it something I said? She’s persistent and quite capable of kicking my a$$. She’s made that abundantly clear. I don’t know. Do I love her? Do I hate her? I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about her. I find myself wondering how long she’s planning to stay. Here I am looking at cute babies in the vicinity and cooing over cute cartoon and commercial children. What did I do to you Peri?
On days when I feel like I’ve had enough, I think about how I can get rid of her quietly without her knowing I’m plotting against her. I still don’t know if she’s a friend yet. Would she answer me if I asked her how long she’s planning to stay? She’s not very forthcoming, and even if she knew, I’m not sure if she’d tell me. What does she want? It can’t be just to torment me. What’s her message? Can she possibly deliver it in a much easier way? Maybe without all the hot flashes and the night sweats. She’s not the one who has to wash the linens after all.
Does she know she’s the reason I have a thousand and one new fragrances? This situation is throwing my Ph balance off. I’m not saying I stink. I just don’t smell quite like myself, and my skin is dry from sweating all night. So, not only do I have to spend more time doing laundry, I have to spend extra time looking for a variety of fragrances that I wouldn’t normally wear, fragrances that work one day and other days not so much, which is the reason why I have so many now. First world problem, I know.
I want to make friends with her, but I also want her visits to be as short as possible, If she can’t do that, maybe she could just not be so disruptive. Is she saint or is she sinner? Does she love? Does she hate? Is this what neutral is? Can I request a different comforting angel, a less intrusive one?
It’s hard to explain if in the middle of a conversation, I start dabbing my forehead with one tissue, then a paper towel, then several paper towels, when there have been no outward signs of a significant temperature change or exertion. You didn’t see that part where I just finished a HIIT workout, but that’s what happened…just not on this plain of existence. Does that sound like a reasonable excuse? No. Okay. I am still sweating like I just finished that HIIT workout though. Just sayin’. It’s possible. Wait! Does it count as a workout? The steps were done in spirit. Does that mean anything? I want it counted somehow.
I drift off to sleep and I’m fine. I’m in Goldilocks territory, not too hot, not too cold. Then Peri makes an appearance. My sheets are soaked. My hair is soaked. I’m wide awake trying to find a dry spot on the bed. Why isn’t anybody else awake for this? Should I take a shower now or wait til the morning? Am I going to towel off? Rub myself down with one of my many new fragrant oils? Will I be able to go back to sleep?
The philosophers and spiritualists say that if you wake up in the wee hours then spirit is trying to tell you something. OK, first can they talk to me at a more reasonable hour? Second, does nature’s alarm need to be so darn dramatic? What about a feather or a gray cat walking across my path at noon, and not like 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning? Can Peri relay that message to the spirits for me? Is she one of those whispering spirits, that someone gave a sledge hammer by mistake?
I appreciate that she’s here to usher me into the next phase of my existence. I really do. There’s a horizon over which I look and she’s right next to me pointing and letting me know that’s where I’m going. Then she pushes me out into traffic. You’re welcome?!
WhiteHausRules 