Death. Many don’t want to talk about it. And yet, in these days of COVID19, death is in the news. Daily.
Whether death happens at (or close to) a birthday, at Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Valentines’ Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter – at any time – the subject of death is the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’ at home, work, a social gathering, on the phone, in social media.
When family, friends, pets we love, die, the elephant has walked into the room. Phrases like these come our way. I’ve heard them all – and more. “It’s just been a week/few weeks. You’ll feel great in three/six/twelve months.” “It’s been almost a year. It’s time to get over it and move on.” “It’s just a dog/cat.” “You’ll be fine once this holiday is over.” “He didn’t deserve what he went through, so God gave needed rest. God’s garden must be beautiful. He only takes the best.” “You only knew them through Facebook. How can you grieve someone you never met in person?” “You knew it was coming.”
What to do if someone says something similar to these to you? Ignore their comments. You know the truth. Love cannot be defined by anyone other than the parties involved.
While grief never ends, it changes. Grief is a passage, a journey, not a place. Grieving isn’t a sign of weakness, or a sign of lack of faith. Grief can begin even before death arrives. And, grief can be cumulative.
Sometimes, the death of someone brings forward negative memories … of abuse, victimization. Seek help. Find ways to release that person’s hold on your life.
Sometimes, death can bring forward thoughts of guilt … we “didn’t do enough” … we weren’t “there when they were dying.” In these COVID19 days, being with our loved ones may be impossible and guilt surfaces. Seek help.
No matter what the circumstances – let us be gentle with ourselves as we grieve.
Let us remember those who have died … and where possible, remember them with joy in our heart, with gratitude that our paths connected.
May we acknowledge that our loved ones will always be with us in some way in our hearts, minds, memories. Death ends a life, not a relationship.
May each person who has died, rest in peace.
When the “Trigger Moments” of grief show up, and they do show up often in the most unexpected times and places, ‘Trigger Moments’ might be of encouragement: www.soulistry.com/trigger-moments
Remembering this day, April 26th, Hans van der Werff (April 29, 1929 – June 26, 2016), beloved husband. Rest in peace dear Hans. Rest in peace.
The framed work of the phrase “Death Ends A Life, Not a Relationship” was created as part of a teaching series for the “Seeing With New Eyes” calligraphy workshop which I taught when workshops were happening in person. These days, it’s ZOOM workshops, and I haven’t yet decided whether or not to step into that new teaching mode. Btw, the flowers are from the back yard – grown from seeds that were volunteered by birds flying by. 🙂
Author: Bonnie Henry Dr. Bonnie Henry is a Canadian physician; the Provincial Health Officer for the Province of British Columbia, Canada; has worked internationally including with the WHO/UNICEF polio eradication program in Pakistan and the World Health Organization to control the Ebola outbreak in Uganda; and is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine.
SOUL-QUESTIONS The words “Be kind, be calm and be safe” echo throughout the Province of British Columbia, Canada and far beyond during these days of the COVID19 pandemic. Dr. Henry’s words are a gentle reminder of the importance in any difficult situation that is out of our control, we must do what we can to be calm, kind and safe.
1. Reflect on a moment in your life when you encountered a difficult situation that was out of your control (e.g. a personal situation, COVID19) and you began to panic. – Were you able to regain a sense of control – of peace – of calmness? – If so, how did you do that? – If not, can you identify what kept you in the state of panic?
2. Reflect on another (or the same) moment in your life when you encountered a difficult moment and you felt unsafe. – Were you able to do something to regain a sense of security? – Did you ask/call for help? – Did others help? – If so, how? – If you still feel unsafe, what are some things you can do to move to a position of safety?
3. Reflect on a moment in your life when someone expressed unasked-for kindness to you. – What feelings did you experience as you received such kindness? – Did you express those feelings to the person who offered that kindness?
4. Reflect on a moment in your life when you were unkind to another human being … someone in your family … a neighbour … a stranger … a friend … and animal … the environment. – If you were aware you were being unkind but did/said what you did/said anyway, what feelings did you experience as you were unkind? – If you were aware you were being unkind, did you express that to anyone? … share with the person? … share with a counsellor? … share with a clergy person? … write in your Journal about it? – If so, which? – If not, why not?
******************** How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
I cannot – and will not – allow my mind or soul to go down the rabbit hole – even after the President of the United States’s threat. If I do, it will only lead me to a state of hopelessness and I refuse to do that to myself.
Instead, I will pray and speak up and speak out and vote and write and … hope … so that I can live.
And in that living, I will be a sign and symbol that in the midst of hopelessness, there *is* hope.
The youth and children of this world depend on my (and our) generation to at least do that.
Quote “When you look at your neighbour’s work, you see it for what it is. When you look at your own work, you see it for what it isn’t.”
Author: Peter Thornton A full-time professional calligrapher and artist for over forty years, Peter Thornton is a Fellow of the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society (C.L.A.S.) with an international reputation as a gifted teacher and calligrapher. His lighthearted wit and playful approach to teaching brings students eager to learn from him in workshops he has offered throughout the world. He has authored several books and is known for his exploration of the visually and acoustically exciting world of ‘musicalligraphy’ – a combination of sound and letters.
Soul-Questions
1. Have you ever looked at your own work, art, project, business, life and seen “what it isn’t”? * In your journal, reflect on some moments in your life when you’ve compared your work, art, projects, efforts in sports activities, hobbies etc. with another; seen perfection in their work, but saw nothing like it when you’ve considered your own.
2. Do you put pressure on yourself in other areas of your life, relationships?* If so, consider an example and write about it in your journal.
3. Do others see you as a perfectionist? * Are they accurate?
4. If they are accurate, does your perfectionism interfere with any of your relationships? * If so, how?
5. Are you comfortable with this aspect of your personality? * If you are not comfortable being a perfectionist, what might you do to ease up on yourself so that you can spend less time being self-critical?
6. When someone expresses appreciation of your work, art, efforts, are you able to reply with sincerity and say “thank you”? Or is your response apologetic, self-deprecation? * In your journal, reflect on your response.
7. If you find it difficult to reply with just a simple “thank you,” for whatever reasons,in your journal, reflect on what steps you might take to otherwise reply the next time someone appreciates your art, your friendship, the gift you made them … or expresses appreciation of you.
******************** How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
The “Soul-Questions” group on Facebook can be found www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
The “Soul-Questions” website and individual quotes/soul-questions can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts
Quote “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at all.”
Author A prolific American poet, Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) was considered to be an eccentric by local neighbours, living much of her life in isolation.
Soul-Questions 1. Dickinson makes a connection between ‘hope’ and the ‘soul’ … a spiritual connection. Do you relate to hope as a spiritual connection? * If so, how? * If not, how do you relate to hope?
2. In the past, when you’ve gone through a personal situation that begs the “where is the hope?” question, how/where did you find hope?
3. In situations such as COVID19 and its consequences, who/where do you turn for guidance, counsel – hope?
4. Are you someone who asks for / seeks guidance, counsel, encouragement, hope in difficult times or do you struggle alone? * If the latter, why? * If the former, what prevents you from reaching out / seeking help/guidance
5. Are you open to being a hope-filled / hopeful person? * Are you being open to hope? * If not, what could you do to become open?
******************** How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
A Facebook friend wrote, echoing the unspoken words of so many: “I just don’t know what to think. I am so confused. I see people standing by our fence, drinking, laughing, celebrating. No masks. No distancing. I see graduates being visited by friends inside their home, sitting close together, hugging. No masks. No distancing. I see friends at the park shoulder to shoulder laughing, touching. No masks. No distancing. Photo after photo on my feed. Big smiles. Feeling good. Is this over, the pandemic? Can we really go back to doing what we did before? I guess all these people I see are young and maybe have no compromising conditions, so contracting the virus won’t be a big deal. I guess their children will be safe, too. I guess the people at the grocery store will be fine. Maybe they have all been tested or recovered and they know for certain they are not spreaders. I don’t know. So maybe I should mind my own business.I guess we’re all going to be fine. And if not, well, that’s the way it goes. Too bad for me. I’ll just have to suck it up.
I read and reread those words and prayed and replied.
I share that reply in the hopes that it may address the confusion others may be experiencing.
**************** You ask: “Is this over, the pandemic?” Answer: “No!”
You ask: “Can we really go back to doing what we did before?” Answer: “No!”
You write … “I guess all these people I see are young and maybe have no compromising conditions, so contracting the virus won’t be a big deal. I guess their children will be safe, too. I guess the people at the grocery store will be fine.” Response: “No!” Contracting the virus WILL BE a big deal. Their children may not be safe. The people at the grocery store may not be fine.
Then you write: “Maybe they have all been tested or recovered and they know for certain they are not spreaders.” Response: “No!”
And then you write: “maybe I should mind my own business.” Response: “No!” What is happening IS your business. Just watch and see what happens in two weeks from now — numbers will explode.
And then you make an assumption: “I guess we’re all going to be fine.” Response: “No!” We’re all NOT going to be fine. We’re not all fine now. We’ve not all been fine the past two months.
And finally you wrote: “And if not, well, that’s the way it goes. Too bad for me. I’ll just have to suck it up.” Response: “No!” You don’t have to suck it up. Keep wearing your mask – keep asking the questions – be using your brain to sort this thing out – keep learning from the scientists – keep caring for yourself – keep on keeping on.
I’m so sorry, my friend … sorry that there are people around you who don’t get it … don’t believe it … don’t use their commonsense … don’t listen to the scientific and historical evidence … don’t wear a mask … don’t practice social distancing. I’m sorry for all of us who are in similar situations.
We must ignore the naysayers, conspiracy enthusiasts, selfish people who think the world belongs to them.
What can we do? We can take care of ourselves and our loved ones — wear our mask, practice social distancing, wash our hands often and well, cough into our elbow.
Btw, that’s not fear talking. That’s love talking. Keep talking love. Keep practicing love. We will get through this – together. June xox
An aside: This Iris is the first to bloom this year in the back yard. It speaks to me of love – of hope – of life!
Quote “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the signs and sorrows. That is what love looks like.”
Author: Augustine (354-430 CE) was a Latin-speaking theologian and philosopher born in present-day Algeria. He was a key figure in the development of Western Christianity.
Soul-Questions
1. The ancient Greeks had four words for love: agape (unconditional love) eros (intimate love) philia (friendship love) storgē (natural affection such as felt by parents for children and vice versa)
In your journal, reflect on how you have expressed love in its various forms in the past for family, friend, colleague, stranger, the world.
2. Was the love you showed, expressed verbally? monetarily? physically? emotionally? politically? prayerfully? in an action-oriented way? … simply by your presence? a visit? a card? a handmade gift? a phone call? social media?
3. Journal about an incident where the love you felt was expressed with “hands to help” …
“feet to hasten to the poor and needy” …
“eyes to see misery and want” …
“ears to hear the signs and sorrow” …
4. Are words sufficient to express love or are actions also an integral part of expressing love?
In your journal, consider a situation with someone you say you love but the other tells you that they receive a different message because your actions don’t reflect your words.
5. What can you do to bring the love you say you have for an individual, so that they feel loved by you in both word and action?
6. Consider ways you might express your love that are different from the ways you have expressed love in the past.
In your journal, reflect on situations when you have felt loved … deeply loved … by a parent, child, partner, spouse, God, pet, stranger.
How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
The “Soul-Questions” group on Facebook can be found www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
The “Soul-Questions” website and individual quotes/soul-questions can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts
Quote “Are any of us perfect? I don’t think so. I would rather like to see the spirit. It’s the sparkle in the eye – the slight opening of the soul.”
Author Gwen Weaver (July 22, 1950 – September 19, 2013) was a much loved American calligrapher and teacher who taught with gentleness, humour, patience and professionalism. Gwen’s “Weaver Writing” calligraphy hand has become a favourite of innumerable calligraphers such as artist Marilyn Lundstrom who calligraphed this Soul-Question quote using Gwen’s unique “Weaver Writing.”
Soul-Questions
1. In your journal, describe a moment in your life when you set perfection as your goal rather than allowing the spirit to flow through you.
2. How might you allow your next project / assignment / performance / presentation be less intentional about ‘skill and understanding’ and more intentional about enjoying the moment?
3. How might you be more open to discovering and uncovering the “sparkle in the eye” of the soul of your
* artistic / creative endeavours
* daily chores
* relationships
* spirituality
4. How can you “see the spirit” in another?
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How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
Quote “So many gods, so many creeds, so many paths that wind and wind, while just the art of being kind is all the sad world needs.”
Author Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1851 – 1919) was a prolific American writer of prose and poetry. Her strength was her belief in the triumph of hope over despair, of victory over failure, of good over evil, and of kindness over selfishness.
Soul-Questions
How would you define the “art of being kind”?
What does religion (“so many gods, so many creeds, so many paths that wind and wind”) bring to the world?
What has religion brought to you?
Reflect and journal about specific ways you can express kindness – with family members … immediate and extended – with work colleagues – in your community – with strangers – in the world
********************************************************************** How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response. At your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
The “Soul-Questions” website can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts Scroll through the various images/titles (click ‘earlier posts’ when you get to the bottom of a page), make your choice and begin. Periodically, it may help to check in with the “Welcome” post www.soulistry.com/soulquestions/welcome that explains what Soul-Questions is about.
“My courage does not roar. It whispers to my heart. It makes me dig deep and find it in my soul to fight on.” <Kim Fitzsimmons>
It takes courage to go to work these days as an ‘essential services’ provider. You valiantly and selflessly serve long hours at potentially great cost to you and your families. We continue to hold you close in our hearts and pray for your protection. We are grateful … grateful beyond measure. Thank you for letting the courage that whispers to your heart help you dig deep and find it in your soul to fight on.
In spite of any personal situation we may be dealing with … in spite of any seas we may need to confront … in spite of where we are on the aging scale … in spite of what is happening in this world at this time … in spite of COVID19, may we face each moment with that indefinable spirit that enables us to deal with what-must-be-faced day-by-day, moment-by-moment.
Courage, my friends. Courage. And when we no longer have any courage, may we remember that somewhere in the world, people are praying for courage for those who are needing it. We are stronger than we may think we are.
Quote “The whole secret of the spiritual life is just this painful struggle to come awake, to become really conscious.”
Author Gerald Heard (1889-1971) was a historian, science writer, educator and philosopher as well as mentor to Bill Wilson, (co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous), and Clare Booth Luce (author and politician).
Soul-Questions
1. What does “to come awake, to become really conscious” mean for you?
2. Have you experienced your life, your spiritual journey at any time as “struggle” – as “painful”?
3. If so, how?
4. How would you describe your “spiritual life” today?
5. If you could have described your spiritual life a year ago, how might you have described it?
6. Where would you like to see your spiritual life in a year from now?
7. What and / or who might help you achieve those goals?
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How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response. At your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
The “Soul-Questions” website can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts Scroll through the various images/titles (click ‘earlier posts’ when you get to the bottom of a page), make your choice and begin. Periodically, it may help to check in with the “Welcome” post www.soulistry.com/soulquestions/welcome that explains what Soul-Questions is about.
Quote “A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?”
Author
Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) was born in modern-day Lebaban. With his family, he emigrated to the United States where he began his literary career, studied art and wrote his inspirational book “The Prophet” which became so popular that he is reputed to be the third best-selling poet of all time.
Soul-Questions
1. As you consider people you have considered over the years, what common qualities/characteristics do they share?
2. How do you distinguish between a friend and an acquaintance?
3. Have you ever been betrayed by a friend?
In your Journal, reflect about the circumstances and consequences of that friend’s betrayal.
4. In your world of friends over the years, what distinguishes those you would call a ‘close’ friend and those you would call ‘best’ friend?
5. Social media connects people as ‘friends’. Is social mediat another category of friendship for you and if so, what qualities/characteristics do such friends have which distinguish them from other friends?
6. Picture your best friend in your mind. What is it about this person that draws you to him/her?
7. In your circle of friendship over the years, have some friends changed categories – i.e. acquaintance, close friend, best friend, cyberfriend?
If so, reflect on your role in the changing friendship in your journal.
8. Reflect on a relationship with a “friend who is far away.”
Is that person “nearer than the one who is a hand”?
If so, how?
******************** How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
The “Soul-Questions” group on Facebook can be found www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
The “Soul-Questions” website and individual quotes/soul-questions can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts
Quote “Those who ask questions may be fools for five minutes, but those who do not ask, remain fools forever.” Author: Chinese proverb
Soul-Questions
1. What questions do you have about
* life
* yourself
* the world
* love
* forgiveness
* eternity
* death
2. What questions have been more important to you than the answers?
3. What questions have spoken to you on your spiritual journey?
4. In your journal, reflect on one of those questions. Why was this particular question more important than the answer?
5. Have there been questions about individuals / situations / finances / values / background that you did not ask and wish you had?
In your journal, reflect on those questions and how you might move beyond whatever blocked you in those circumstances?
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How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
The “Soul-Questions” group on Facebook can be found www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
The “Soul-Questions” website and individual quotes/soul-questions can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts
Quote “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” Author: Francis Bacon <1909-1992 was a self-taught Irish artist whose life as an artist was a bleak chronicler of the human condition and after the death of his partner, his art became preoccupied with death in a unique style that was bold, austere, graphic and emotionally raw. He claimed to be descended from the Elizabethan philospher with the same name.
Soul-Questions
1. What does “the mystery” mean to you?
2. What gift of creativity have you been given?
3. What defines / makes someone an “artist“?
4. When you express yourself in some creative way, do you think of yourself as an “artist”?
If not, what would it take for you to see yourself as an artist (be that someone who bakes, sews, sculpts, paints, gardens, draws; does carpentry, flower-arranging, calligraphy; makes cards etc.)?
5. How can you, as artist, “deepen the mystery”?
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How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions” You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
The “Soul-Questions” group on Facebook can be found www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
The “Soul-Questions” website and individual quotes/soul-questions can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts
The initial shock of COVID19 has hit. Grief is emerging as people deal with the loss COVID19 is bringing: … issues of death and dying because of a diagnosis of COVID19 … loss of income because their place of employment has been shut down … loss of freedom because schools, parks, businesses, swimming pools, recreation centres, pubs, theatres, conferences, etc. are closed … loss of control over lives … and more.
How to deal with the stress of it all? How to maintain some sense of emotional stability? How to find peace in the panic?
Perhaps the words of a woman who lived centuries ago, will help. Dame Julian of Norwich wrote something very simple at a difficult time in her life. She wrote this: “All shall be well. All shall be well. And all manner of thing shall be well.”
As a grief counsellor, I’ve found it helpful to encourage people, when they find themselves in a difficult situation, to use Dame Julian’s words with a conscious pattern of breathing gently, deeply, slowly and properly.
We breathe, but not always properly. And at times of stress, our breathing becomes more and more shallow which can lead to further stress. One way to test how you breathe is to place your hands in front of you on your belly/tummy with the longest fingers gently touching. As you breathe in, check to see if your shoulders are moving up or if your fingers are gently moving apart. Hopefully, it’s the latter. Keep practicing until you’re able to do this.
Then, using Dame Julian’s words, consciously doing some gentle, deep, slow breathing, try following this:
1. Gently inhaling … say/whisper/think/pray “All shall be well.” 2. Gently exhaling … say/whisper/think/pray “All shall be well.” 3. Gently inhaling … say/whisper/think/pray “And all manner of thing 4. Gently exhaling … say/whisper/think/pray “Shall be well.”
Then just sit for a few moments. Sit in the calm. Sit in the peace.
By doing the above, you have slowed down your breathing, brought oxygen into your body and welcomed a gentle reduction in your anxiety. Peace. Maybe just for a moment – or a few moments – but peace.
And, there is more. While Dame Julian’s words don’t say that “All IS well,” the words offer a hopeful message to our brain that “all SHALL BE well.”
When we combine Dame Julian’s words with a pattern of conscious breathing, we are sending positive messages to our body and our mind. “All shall be well.”
It will take time, but “all shall be well” and we will get through COVID19 – together.
Breathe, my Soulistry friends. Breathe in ruach, peace, hope. “All shall be well. All shall be well. And all manner of thing shall be well.”
“Stocks surged after the worst day since 1987 crash!” “Countries are closed off.” “Sports games, concerts, worship services are cancelled.” “It’s going to get worse, not better.” “COVID-19 is the end of the world.”
We’ve heard them all – and more. So what do we do?
Perhaps we do an attitude-adjustment.
Perhaps we intentionally focus on the goodness around us the examples of compassion the incidents of kindness the expressions of love the gifts of colour in flowers, children at play, puppies and kittens instead of the yuck.
Perhaps we look to the Creator of the present moment who stills the storm and soothes the frantic heart, who brings hope, courage, strength as we wait in uncertainty and who brings peace that passes understanding so that we may rest at night, heal and awaken in the morning to the gift of a new day where we focus on making time to breathe, deep and gently and inhale peace … and calm … and hope.
People seem to be reacting to news of the spreading COVID virus in different ways.
Discrimination of certain ethnicities is becoming one of the consequences of the rising fear of this virus.
My hope is that everyone will treat others “as the sacred being they are”and that bullying, abuse, violence, hatred, war, road rage, prejudice, gossip, racism, ageism, sexism, terrorism, religious intolerance, injustice, discrimination … for any reason … will cease.
May every human being be treated as the sacred being they are.
Reminds me of a winter I lived in Shawnigan Lake when I looked out my office window and saw this bird — created by snow covered a bush in front of that window.
It was magical — a beak, an eye, a wing … and I didn’t create it or move anything around to reveal those parts or anything!
There it was – in front of me. I watched in wonder as the snow descended on the bush outside my office window and a snowbird magically and gradually formed out of the bush.
Rushing to get my camera, I realized that the snowbird captured the essence of Wonder, Joy, Awe and Peace.
The timing was quite remarkable — I had just been diagnosed with mercury poisoning; had just moved to the little house in Shawnigan; hadn’t met any of the neighbours; it was a miserable winter storm; I was incapacitated with no family nearby and friends who weren’t able to come over the Malahat Mountain because of the distance and weather.
The doctor told me “The good news is … you won’t die from this. The bad news is … you’ll wish you had.” There were times when he was right. And that morning, was one of those really difficult mornings when I wasn’t free from severe pain, had beyond-limited mobility (when mercury poisoning sets in, muscles atrophy), and the list went on.
In my mind/thoughts/prayers, I wanted/needed a “sign” of reassurance. I slowly made my way to my office … and saw this.
A sign. A sign of reassurance that I was not – and would not be alone during the time of recovery and that there would be eventual recovery.
That recovery was difficult and lengthy and there is still evidence of the mercury expressing itself in my system but … I will always remember the SnowBird — the sign of Spirit with me.
And now, I hope and pray, you will too and that if you are going through a difficult time, you will take comfort from the SnowBird. 🙂
May you experience “moments of wonder” in the coming days and weeks in ways that you can’t even begin to ask or imagine!
We have twelve months in the year 2020 to see, feel, hear, taste, touch, embrace, consider, reject, ignore (and the list goes on). However, never again will we have a year that can speak to us at both the level of 20/20 physical vision and the level of 20/20 spiritual maturity – insight.
The metaphor of 20/20 vision is apt for many who were born with vision issues. As we age, eye issues like cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration can surface and cause problems with the ability to read, maintain balance, see well at night or even during the day.
Gratefully, scientific strides have been made and today’s ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians work hand in hand with one another as well as with pharmacists and various companies so that medication and eyeglass wear has greatly improved. More and more, people who anticipated restricted or no vision in their senior years are finding help in improved medication and eyeglasses.
Vision – such a gift!
Here we are, at the beginning of the year 2020 and my mind can’t help but reflect on possible connections between this year 2020 and the clarity that 20/20 vision can bring.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful, as the image says, if this were a year of “perfect vision”: a year where we saw … reason, truth and commonsense replace lies. … politicians, seeing the damage done by their selfish opposition to climate change, enact stringent environmental protection laws. … corporations put people before profit. … politicians put country before personal gain. … humanity took the call to ‘love one another’ seriously and put love into into practice in homes, communities, neighbourhoods, streets.
A “year of perfect vision” … physical sight and insight. I pray for that.
The song by Robin Lamont is a wonderful reminder of the need to be ever mindful of the clarity about the future that we all need … one where we “see” more clearly; love the Creator/one another/ourselves more clearly; follow the path of the holy ones whose lives modelled thoughts and acts based on love: Day by Day, Day by day. Oh, dear Lord, Three things I pray: To see thee more clearly. Love thee more dearly. Follow thee more nearly. Day by day. <lyrics by Robin Lamont>
May 2020 be a year of “perfect vision” for our world.
Remembering this day, April 26th, Hans van der Werff (April 29, 1929 – June 26, 2016), beloved husband. Rest in peace dear Hans. Rest in peace.
