I don’t miss much about life as a student, but one thing I have always missed about school was that every year there was a specific end to the monotony and dailiness that always seemed to creep in. What I really loved was that this “end” of the school year also meant that I would have a chance to start over and hopefully do things better the following year. As a result of COVID-19, I am, in a strange way, feeling that familiar sensation again. Also, I find it fascinating that I have heard some variation of this theme recurring, over and over, in conversations with friends and family over the past several weeks.
Once we graduate from school and are thrown out into the real world, how often do we actually get the chance to hit the so-called “reset button”. Not very often, but COVID-19 has created this opportunity for many of us. Instead of focusing on all of the limitations created by this pandemic, maybe we should be taking some time to reflect, reevaluate, and formulate a plan for what is next. What changes do we need to make today to ensure that we will LIVE BETTER, moving forward?
I can only speak for myself, but in my reflections, I have realized that the way I was living prior to COVID-19 is not the way I want to continue to live once this is all a distant memory. Life in America has a way of slowly overwhelming us with the need for constant activity, the drive to acquire more and more stuff, and the need to be entertained. This forced slowdown has given me time to reflect and contemplate what is truly important to me. I do not want to go back to my world of over-stimulation, over-consumption, and over-commitment.
We only get one chance at life, and I, for one want to do mine better. While this may seem like a personally daunting task, I think our planet is showing us that it may not need to be that difficult to change. Nature may be the best example of how quickly things can begin to heal. In the first three months of 2020, with humans radically modifying their normal behaviors in an attempt to contain or avoid the virus, the earth is already showing dramatic healing. Our air quality has significantly improved, noise pollution has decreased, and our lakes, rivers, and oceans are all cleaner.
Imagine the positive changes we could see in our own lives if we all follow nature’s example. Take a minute this week to reflect on what needs healing in your life…physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually. Small positive changes in us personally lead to small changes in our relationships, which lead to small changes in our families, which lead to small changes in our communities, which lead to small changes in our state, which lead to small changes in our country, which lead to small changes in our world!
What’s your plan for LIVING BETTER, after COVID-19 ends?
