“The pandemic will not change the basic direction of history,” writes Richard Haas, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, “so much as accelerate it.” Many issues and problems that existed before this pandemic have come to the surface and we are more aware of them now. For example, our screen time and our reliance on video connections was increasing before the pandemic and now has increased even more. Same goes with activities moving on-line. The list is endless and we are stretched by the scope and pace of it all.
Yet, on the other hand, some things like time have slowed down. Each day has started to run into the next. Today was the same as yesterday and tomorrow will be similar to today. It is a closed loop routine that resembles the directions on a bottle of shampoo: wake up, shelter in place, work from home, go to bed, repeat.
Occasionally, in the midst of this never-ending story, we have to go out and run an errand. Then, life becomes a complicated pathway of anxiety and uncertainty. Mask - check. Hand sanitizer - check. Gloves - check. Face shield - check. Disinfectant wipes - check. We stand six feet apart. We attempt to touch nothing. We purchase the needed item and then wipe it down before putting it in the bag or the car. Once home, we decontaminate the bag, the item purchased, the car, and then ourselves. We feel constricted by this unforeseen virus and the resulting mental and emotional fatigue. In short, life is worrisome, stressful and challenging.
Many decades ago, when I was first starting out a consultant and trainer, I spent a great deal of time teaching people stress management skills. We explored new techniques, new behaviors and what was a healthy mindset. But, over time, I learned that during certain periods of life, we can not change or influence the things that are causing us stress. Rather than reducing our stress load during these times, which is something we are constantly trying to do, we need to focus on making our lives more meaningful. By finding more meaning and purpose in our lives at work and at home, we are better able to handle the stress and challenges of life.
So what makes your life meaningful during a global pandemic?
My answer is people and nature.
Our home was built in 1919. It is a beautiful old Craftsman style house. And it needs regular love, attention and maintenance.
One evening recently, I was out on the front porch doing some some touch up painting when a wonderful young family walked by on their way home from the local ice cream shop. The mom held the leashes for their two dogs and the dad pulled a red wagon with the youngest child sitting in it, ice cream cup in hand. The older daughter walked behind the wagon with her ice cream cone.
As they walked by, I called out a warm greeting, “Hi! What a wonderful evening for a family adventure.”
The mom paused her walking of the dogs and replied, “Hi Geery. Yes, the temperature was perfect for an evening walk.”
The youngest one called out, “Where is your dog?”
Of course, she was barking her greeting from the window, and so my wife got the leash and came out to visit too.
Standing a good six feet apart, we caught up with our neighbors. We learned about how they survived the derecho, what was the plan for elementary school this year, and how life was going in general.
The youngest got out of the wagon, and came over to me. She showed me a bowl of mostly melted ice cream and said, “This is really good stuff.” Then, with a great big smile on her face, she turned and headed back to the little red wagon. Once we had finished our visit and they had continued on toward home, I found I had a big smile on my face.
In the midst of COVID, the smallest points of connection during a time period of mostly sheltering in place and working from home can make the biggest difference. To witness a happy family out for an evening walk and to be shown a bowl of mostly melted ice cream with a comment about it being “really good stuff” gives me hope that the future will not always be worrisome, stressful and challenging.
On a different evening recently, I walked out through the perennial flowers beds behind our home to the vegetable garden. I wanted to check on how many more tomatoes had ripened since my last picking. Sometimes, the late summer tomatoes are the most flavorful and sweet ones. Discovering that they needed a day or to more before picking I headed back to the house.
As I passed by a stand of ornamental grasses and some nearby sedum plants, I found myself surrounded by monarch butterflies. Here and there, they flew around me and above me. It was a symphony of quiet color and movement. I paused in the midst of this special moment and was overwhelmed by the beauty of this earth and in particular Iowa on a late summer evening.
With all of the chaos happening on so many levels in the world, nature reminds me to be still and to see the miracles of each new day. Flowers bloom. The leaves are changing colors. Birds sing. Monarch butterflies dance.
As I walked back to the house, I remembered the hymn “For The Beauty of the Earth” and hummed a few bars to myself.
People and nature bring something special into my life. They are part of what makes my life meaningful and purposeful.
I hope during the coming days as things speed up in your life that you will pause and reconnect with those you love. I also hope you will rediscover the daily miracles that are taking place in the natural world. Then, maybe you will catch yourself humming the bars of one of your favorite songs as you move forward with love and purpose in your heart.
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