As you pull your mask over your ears with freshly washed hands, cautiously reach for the last six-pack of paper towels on the shelf while making sure no one is within six feet of you, do you ever stop and wonder what life will look like post-pandemic? I know I do. Pretty sure I’m not alone.
A touchless future, is this the “new normal”? And what – if any – lessons will society have learned from this season of fear, death and uncertainty?
Asking these questions has opened my eyes to some positivity, a “potential” silver lining which may not be so apparent at this moment.
Sheltering in place, I’ve noticed a more beautiful side of humanity unfolding. Many of us are rediscovering the value of small joys – the aroma of a beautiful rose, playing catch with our children in the backyard, an intimate dinner at home with our spouse. It’s so refreshing to see and hear your stories of gratitude for things you may have been taking for granted before.
But I’m also noticing a change of tone, more kindness expressed for strangers, more empathy for people who are hurting and have no soft place to fall. It seems we may have not been so aware of “essential workers” and the important role they play in the quality of our lives. Little by little, our heroes are changing.
Slowing down has provided a respite from the concrete jungle and all the demands that come with it. And in these sheltered moments, we are getting to view humanity at home. Reporters are in their living rooms, comedians are in their backyards, singers who have entertained us for years are singing to us from kitchens and dens – and they are all very human just like us.
How great is it to see a furry companion interrupt a talk show or a baby climb onto his mom’s lap during a live interview? It allows us to get a true picture of “real life” behind the scenes – we aren’t so different than anyone else.
Maybe if we are so fortunate to absorb the lessons of this moment, we will have fewer idols and more ideals, less envy and more empathy, less criticizing and more caring. One can surely hope.
Yes, I believe this dark cloud will have a silver lining, but in order to come together and make a better tomorrow – we all have to choose to see it.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
