Feelin' Groovy...


Did you ever experience a moment when life smacked you upside the head and told you to slow the heck down?  I think that moment is now for all of us.  I think the Planet is telling us all to just chill for a second.  Or maybe longer....

These moments usually amount to being rendered physically unable to move at the pace to which we have become accustomed:  a distance runner falls and breaks her ankle; a busy mom (cook, personal secretary, financial advisor, taxi driver...) needs to have surgery; the high school football star tears his ACL. If you've ever experienced such an event, you'll recall initially feeling like your world had come to an end.  You may also recall that the experience taught you much about life, and hopefully left you smarter, stronger,  and wiser.
Several years ago, I ran a marathon with a friend.  It was his first marathon. We ran the first half at a respectable pace.  By about mile 15, my friend was hitting (in slo-mo) the wall.  With about six miles to go, we were among the slowest five runners.  We ran with two ladies who were running and chatting and laughing and carrying on... basically having a fabulous time.  By mile 24, we passed an aid station where some boy scouts were baking brownies in a cast iron skillet over a campfire.  I told my friend, "keep running, I'm getting a brownie."  By mile 25.5, the course sweeper came up beside me on his bicycle.  He asked if there was anything I needed.  I said, "Yes, I need you to keep the finish line open, because my friend has totally earned his run across it!"  It was one of my most memorable marathons, and was absolutely the moment I realized that a marathon is more about who you meet and what you see along the way than it is about pace.  Since then I've always carried a camera or, more recently, a phone, on runs and hikes so that I deliberately slow down and stop to take notice of the lovely details of the run (or hike).

Right now, with the need for social distancing and self quarantine, it feels like the world has stopped turning.  Many of us feel like we are suspended in the air, not being able to DO what we HAVE to get DONE.  We feel frustrated by the lack of activity, the absence of busyness. We worry about how this is all going to work out, and we are uncomfortable with the lack of control that we now have over our own lives.  
 We have no choice but to slow down.  Perhaps, even to stop.  However, and you know what I'm about to suggest, it doesn't have to be a bad thing. On the contrary, we can choose to make it a really good thing. I'm seeing several social media posts each day demonstrating how families are using the time to do things together, work on household projects, get outside and play, and stay in touch with distant family members. I'm seeing suggestions on how to make life easier for others.  I'm seeing ideas for educational experiences outside the limitations of classroom walls.  I'm seeing teachers checking in on their students, and nursing home residents displaying "I'm OK & I love you" messages to their families on the outside.  I'm hearing people ask, "how are you?" and signing off emails with "stay well."  Do you see what's happening?  Instead of being focused on the finish line, everyone is looking around and paying attention to the lovely details.  By no means am I suggesting that The Pandemic is a good thing.  Not at all.  I do know that we can choose to make good come of it. 

At the same time, it's understandable that this is a time of high stress and anxiety for many of us.  As always, I ask you to show kindness, not just to others, but to yourself.  Be gentle.  Show grace.  Give yourself a break and allow your body, your mind, and your spirit to take some rest.  Take solace in the slow moments, and appreciate the time that you may now have to spend with your important people.  Chances are, we may never have an opportunity like this again.   

You know how it is when you suddenly slow your car to avoid hitting a critter on the road?  It's like that, except right now we're slowing down for life to get where it's going.  

I wish you serenity and wellness.  Take care of you.  💖

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