Lately, I’ve been waking up just after four in the morning with no chance of going back to sleep. I’m going to assume I need to see the world wake up more than I need the slumber. Bathing in the joyous music of the birds and the bugs is worth rising at such an early hour. A symphony of tweets, chirps, and clicks is supported by the staccato hammering of a woodpecker. These sounds fill my soul with delight as the sky goes from black, to smoky gray, to tinges of pinks and purples.
Then the sky turns to blue and thoughts turn to work… and the news. Yes, that.
Meditation heals.
I’m going to choose not to dwell on the stories of hoarders and scammers, but instead, train my field of vision to focus on those who do what they can to make things better. My good friend Anne Markham Bailey is a shining example of the latter. This creative and brilliant woman always has a project for universal good up her sleeve. In her latest podcast, Anne offers a practice session for Anxious Minds in Anxious Times. Trade 30 minutes of poring over news of COVID-19 for a dip into something peaceful and healing.
Anne’s practice is a great way to start the day. Your energy will become more soft and ethereal. This is beneficial for all because one calm mind leads to another. The more of this kind of energy we put out there, the more likely we are to find positive, healing ways through OUR unfathomable situation.
Love heals.
Although homebound, many of us still face work duties (if we’re lucky) while dealing with the mind-blowing reality of living through a pandemic. No one alive can help us with their experience; a few folks may have been infants during the last pandemic but would retain no memory of it. We must all learn to navigate this together. Therein lies a bit of hope. In a country and world so divided, the challenge upon us is working together. We will because we have to.
When my workday is done, I’m headed to the garden. Lettuce, spinach, and kale I plant for the short term. The iris bulbs I move are for next year. My secret garden is for years to come. This is my act of faith, my commitment to humanity’s future. I refuse to believe anything else.