I have been wanting to write about mindfulness, resources, self-care, and many other things for quite some time now, but the same nagging thought keeps stopping me.
“What to say that has not been said already?…”
“How to offer an interesting piece without sounding repetitive?…”
This is unequivocally the most unique and unprecedented moment in history when the whole entire world is at a standstill.
No people walking in Central Park.
No traffic in Rome.
No shopping in Paris.
No fútbol en Buenos Aires.
No tennis in England.
Just stillness.
How many times have we wished for quiet, for time at home, for no rush hour, for some personal space?….
We got what we wished for, and boy did we get a lot of it!
Yet, getting something we so desperately wanted, and if we’re honest, needed, has turned out to be incredibly difficult.
During these uncertain times, mindfulness and mental health have become more important than ever before. In many ways, mindfulness is about simply breathing, being present, following your breath. Yet COVID-19 threatens to make that simple involuntary function, difficult and in some cases, impossible. One of the recommendations for mental health is to connect, to be engaged, with this recommendation especially keeping in mind the elderly who are often isolated. Yet, this virus requires us to isolate, especially from the elderly.
We have been brought to our knees by this, sometimes literally to our knees.
The entire world is at a standstill.
But right now, being still is the best move.
When everything seems to have come to a stop, we can decide if stop means “this is the end” or “this is a new beginning”.
We can decide if stop means “I wish I could ______” or “I am grateful I can”.
STOP can also stand for solidarity, temperance, openheartedness, and patience. Let’s embrace the time alone and work on a grateful, mindful and healthier version of ourselves.
But though we are apart, separate from one another, we hold more in common than we ever have before.
This is the first and only time that the whole world shares the same phrase, STAY HOME. Every language in the world has a version of it, but they all mean the same thing: “Stay safe”. There is no political slogan, no social group, and no religion that would not be behind these two words.
We as the world are finally united.
We cry and pray for people we do not even know, no matter the color of their skin or their nationality.
We share a big and deep care for humanity that would have been inconceivable only a few short weeks ago.
We are finally doing something for us and for others with the same care and passion, we wear our mask for others and others wear theirs for us. We have a very unique opportunity to change the world, one person at the time. Be safe and be well – Grace
