In my last post, I wrote, “We are headed into what I believe will be one of the most tumultuous years in recent memory.”
I had no idea, at that time, the level of tumult that would ensue. I thought it would relate to our political system and how polarized we have become as a nation. Check out Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein for a deep-dive into this topic.
We were being bombarded by misinformation, information spin, made-up stories, and snippets taken out of context to suit whatever sides’ purposes. Families had fractured; friends were estranged; neighbors didn’t talk to one another. Our world had become VERY ugly. It felt like something was about to snap.
And, then, there was COVID-19.
We find ourselves in an extreme, transformational moment.
Transformation represents a bifurcation from “what was” to “what will be.” It is a point of departure.
There are many examples in science of bifurcation points, such as the point when water is about to boil, the moment before a flashover in a fire, or when a wave hovers in that eternal, glassy moment before it breaks.
The changes we are witnessing and experiencing are profound because the entire world is so interconnected. Everything—EVERYTHING—is integrated—from our supply chain, our transportation systems, our financial markets, and our work to our personal relationships with one another and with our spiritual practices.
While we have to self-isolate, we have fought back by coming together in the most creative of ways.
· In Italy
In my little corner of the world, neighbors are waving and smiling at one another. We are having long conversations, getting to know one another more deeply, while standing six to ten feet from one another in the cul-de-sac. Friends are holding Zoom get togethers. We are touching base with people we haven’t contacted in years.
Because we can’t go anywhere, we have slowed our pace.
I know that my neighbors with children are facing new challenges with having to both work at home and home school their kids.
However, out of great change comes great creativity. The resilience of the young will prevail. We will develop new habits—new ways of being—to accommodate the new normal.
Our lives will NEVER be the same. And, you know what? That’s OK. #stayathome #flattenthecurve
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