A Tide in the Affairs of Men

 

COVID's Rewards

I was just out walking the dog. As spring is beginning to take hold after a particularly rough end to winter I got to thinking about COVID. I have had my moments of COVID fatigue, to be sure. And while I go get a bit weary in waiting for my turn to be vaccinated, overall I'm glad for the experience. Over the past year I've become much more self-aware and my sense of being grounded in who and what I am has become more solidified.

There are those anxious for this all to be over so we can "get back to normal." That life and its daily dynamic is never returning. I feel sorrow for those groping and gasping for that "before" life. They don't see the gifts and opportunities of the past year. They've squandered the rarest of opportunities. The chance to read, to learn a new skill, to take up a new hobby, or to simply spend quality time with one's self.

While I didn't learn to play an instrument, learn to knit, or work jigsaw puzzles, I found greater parts of myself that were waiting for me to come find them. I not only found them, I embraced them. And that is a greater reward than any knit cap or 500-piece puzzle of the Eiffel Tower.

Reflections in the Time of COVID

I’m feeling very reflective about COVID this morning. Where I live it has been handled poorly to say the least, but it’s given me so much opportunity. I don’t think I’d be as mindful and self-aware if I hadn’t gone through this year. I had a wisp of “Opportunity Squandered” creep into my thoughts last night. 

Then I told myself I may not have learned to play the piano or written the Great American Novel, but I got deeper in touch with me. I found some of the deeper gears that make me work. I understand the mechanism so much better. Learning the piano or writing a book can’t even touch that.

Trust What Is

My friend Argenis Vegas has written a wonderful book based on his personal experience with mindfulness, nonattachment and being present. From the book's back cover:

"Suffering can be the greatest catalyst for transformation. It can help you discover your own essence and connect with the field of all possibilities. You have the opportunity to navigate the flow of life and be with “what is” at that moment. Rather than fight against the natural current, be present in it. Those who oppose us are not our enemies, but our teachers. Offer them no resistance. This story attempts to point to that which is beyond words, and cannot be grasped by the mind——the unified nature of existence, which lies beyond the conditioning and the dualistic perception of life. My wish is that it will encourage you to welcome differences, thus creating a more peaceful, loving world, and to inspire you to see and go beyond the circumstances in your life."

For anyone on the path of mindfulness and self-awareness, I encourage them to read this book. It is full of wonderful nuggets of insight, inspiration, and enthusiasm for learning to trust what is. Visit the link below for ordering information. 

https://www.amazon.com/Trust-What-Argenis-Vegas/dp/0692270701