Relax. Re-center.

Suddenly...

I realize that it's been 6 months since the world started changing, almost beyond recognition - 6 months since Covid took over almost all of our life decisions.

I realize that there's just about 4 more months to go in this Gregorian year that probably none of us will ever be able to forget. 

And in the midst of it all, in a couple of days, I will advance further into my fabulous 50s.

This seemed like perfect time to take stock! And I look back .....

Globally, the new normal is now settling in ...... even as some countries and economies struggle to bring back "normalcy" or in other words, the older ways of doing things. I seriously wonder how much will go back to what we  had got used to. I am reminded that like perspective, normalcy is also dependent on where we stand....... when we move, our perspectives and what we consider normal also shifts. 

A 7 year old instinctively reaches for his mask when he is venturing outdoors and hasn't met his friends for 6 months, except on Zoom and he doesn't seem too flustered. His mom, on the other hand, laments his lack of socialization as part of his development and personal growth - she is worried. This is not her kind of normal.

I see toddlers taking baby steps in the park with masks on, their caregivers ensuring that they don't touch anything or anyone  - this is the new normal; and I recall times when toddlers in the parks would run amok and touch and feel everything, instinctively moving towards each other to touch, play, even kiss - but that was my normal.

Like the political and economic landscapes, our social settings have had to make tremendous shifts and adjustments, due to CoVid precautions, and are now hugely impacting our lifestyles. Interpersonal relationships are taking the toll. Too much of family, however dear, and too little of the outer circle of friends, colleagues and extended family is affecting our basic bonds. I am seriously worried about the impact all of this will have on  overall mental health and wellness for the young and the not-so-young. I sincerely hope the mesh of support for those that need it most quickly realigns to recreate that safety net, should anyone trip and fall in their endeavors to adjust to the new order.

Personally, the journey continues to be interesting. I had written here in July this year that I wanted to "just be". I am happy to say I pretty much am there. Just being.... and at peace....

I have brought to a grinding halt many things that do not serve me anymore. My tomorrow still has no shape, but I am not too worried about what lies ahead - I had initially some plans, but probably the universe has decided it's not time as yet, and so I wait .... practicing daily gratitude for my many blessings. I am in space of peace and I am fine not knowing more at this stage. 

Que sera sera.

Change, albeit uncomfortable, is generally good and definitely inevitable. Over centuries, it has always affected the world, the society, humans and their behaviors. So why not change our mindsets towards it? 

Instead of fretting over what is no longer possible due to social restrictions, why don't we explore what new experiences can still be added to our lives?

Instead of worrying yourself sick over things we can no longer control, why don't we identify what we can influence on our own and focus only on them for now? 

and most importantly....

Instead of wistfully looking behind often, why don't we make more of an effort to live today, by being aware of each and every moment and all things in each of them? Tune in to yourselves. In whichever ways that work for you.

Maybe that's what God wants of us - and hence He has attempted to take away distractions. And during this process of introspection and adjustment, we may find that there's not enough reason to run around mindlessly again....  

“We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time, and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves. And we’ll also have a lot more joy in living.”  

– Thich Nhat Hanh