A Time Like No Other
As I was taking my daily hike today, I kept thinking of the Charles Dickens novel. “Tale of Two Cities”. The first line is “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness”. Over the chaos of the last few weeks and with more time to let my mind wander, I have reflected on seminal moments in my history: great ones such as births, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, special journeys, thrilling sports championships; and sad ones including the loss of beloved family and friends, the day and aftermath of 911. These moments have created a catalog of memories which place virtual bookmarks in my life so far. I realize that what is going on in our world today is so much larger than a moment….we are in a “time” for which none of us knows how long will last, but more than likely, it will be at least a few months or more. Every aspect of our lives has been impacted, and will be for a long time. The “time” we are in now has impacted how we communicate, do business, travel and socialize. Many aspects of our lives will adapt to a new normal. We will have to adjust our way of thinking to accept these changes. In many ways, the changes we are now having to accept for our safety reflect a collective pause which makes us notice the little things so much more. My friend and yoga teacher, John Calabria, states it so beautifully….
“The water is running clear enough in Venice, Italy that people can see actual fish in the ocean. Air pollution levels across the world have plummeted. Wildlife populations have breathed a sigh of relief as humans just STOP doing most things….we continue to reduce our lives down to the essential – Thoreau-like living, almost….we have Amazon and cellphones and Netflix and news and unlimited distractions. As we move through this and hopefully, eventually, our lives start back up….could we bring that idea of “less” with us? Do less, buy less, fly less, drive less…leaving room for more time in nature, books!, simple living, soak some beans, share humble meals, art, dust off that old instrument you used to play. Wash out that hummingbird feeder. Soon they will be back and thirsty!....We have this opportunity to completely scale back and perhaps create lives that we love on the other side.”
During this time of less, I am discovering a profound sense of gratitude for my life; I am grateful for my family and the love and support that we share; I am grateful for my home, the nature around us and the birth of a new spring; I am grateful for my work which although I have scaled back on out of necessity, I am looking for ways to connect with my beloved students online; I am grateful for my town, its people, its history and its place in the birth of the environmental movement, I am grateful for the brilliant scientists working toward treatments and vaccines and the healthcare workers who through great personal sacrifice take care of the sick in times of crisis. Gratitude for what we have will provide us the strength we need to move through this time. Let’s be together as a world community and find a way to accept and embrace this time like no other!