Vlog: Life Happens

"Life is simple,  Everything happens for you, not to you.  Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late."  Byron Katie

I'm not sure I'd say life is simple because it can be quite difficult at times, but Katie's saying that everything happens for a reason, I do believe.  It' may not be appreciated at the time, it may not be comfortable to go through, but it is not to be resisted.  Resisting just makes things worse.  Remaining in the present and dealing with what happens moment to moment helps resolve issues faster and easier than fighting them or pretending they aren't happening at all.

"Life doesn't happen to you, it happens for you." Tony Robbins

Rather than freezing in fear and getting discouraged, use life experiences--good and bad--as a learning experience.  To grow and shine.  To live meaningfully.  To live the life you are meant to live.  To be the person you are meant to be.

For example, when I was born with spina bifida, I wasn't supposed to live past the age of six.  I'm not 56.  While, yes, I have had difficult times over the years, I also made a point to learn as much as I could about my chronic condition and how to care for myself.  I even, a three years of age, explained how to do a cut down, which is when a needle has to be sugically inserted into the vein.  I also learned to care for my foot ulcers at home until I could get to a doctor at a young age.  All sorts of things.  Also, I learned how to "find the funny" as I called it in whatever I was going through healthwise.  Not to make light of a serious situation, but to cope healthily with it.  And, take what I've been through, use spina bifida as a catalyst for empathy and caring for others.  

There is so much division in the world, but there is also lots of love.  You only have to look around you and on the news during this pandemic to find stories of total strangers reaching out to help each other.  Bad times can be sad, frightening, challenging, overwhelming, but they also can help us exhibit the best in ourselves, observe the best in others, find a new appreciation of our fellow human beings, learn, grow, and even totally transform our lives in ways we never imagined.

How have your life experiences affected you?  What have your learned about yourself and others so far during this pandemic?  What will you do with what you have learned?  

Stay safe.  Stay home.  Be well.

Vlog: A Possible Silver Lining

Hi there!  How are you doing?  I hope you are well.

This post is on the possible silver lining of Covid-19.  Now, I realize it is a serious matter.  My heart goes out to the victims and their families.  It's hard to think of there being a silver lining to something so devastating.  But, hear me out.

It seemed as if everyone was on their phones before Covid-19.  They were looking down at the phones behind the wheel, walking in the road, at parties, at the dinner table, paying more attention to their phones than the people around them.  But now there's social isolation, social distancing, and people are finding ways to get together in person or at least virtually.  People have even gathered together in large groups with the shelter in place and social distancing guidelines in place.  It makes me think that we do crave true togetherness in difficult times that the Internet can't replicate.  That's what makes social distancing so difficult, but so necessary at this time.  By keeping our distance, we help stop the spread,  keep each other healthy, and save lives.

When this crisis over let's hope that we remember the importance of in-person communication and connection.  Let's look forward to the time we will be able to truly enjoy those hugs, face to face conversations, and that closeness we may have previously taken for granted or even been averse to.  Or, at least let us make a point to stay connected virtually more often with friends and family we hardly ever did before this crisis.  

And, I hope we remember that technology has its place in society, as in difficult times like these, to keep us connected, but that it should not replace in-person contact.  There is room for both, and neither should be taken for granted or dismissed.  It's all a matter of balance.

Your thoughts?