Across the country some states are cautiously preparing for reopening; others have moved quickly. Warnings escalate, but, society is moving at different speeds, in different ways, toward "re-entry". It will take time--at least two weeks--to evaluate the contagion consequences of any lifting of restrictions. Some places who have moved too quickly will take steps back. We also have warnings that we are likely to see the resurgence of Covid 19 in the fall. All of this makes it very difficult to personally plan for the months ahead.
As society mobilizes, mental health professionals point out the psychological trauma caused by the Pandemic. Life as we knew it suddenly stopped. For many in lockdown, it's a time marked by feeling disoriented as routines, work, finances and relationships are disrupted. Just organizing a day is a challenge, let alone organizing a life after lockdown! Despite our wishful thoughts, life for most people will not just go back to the way it was. It is not a simple matter of accepting loss and moving forward with the new, because the new has no definition as yet; the process is not at all over.
Yet, this is the time we live. It is a time to affirm and attend to our resilience. It is a time to reflect on what we have discovered through the shock of the Pandemic and months of lockdown--how and what do we now chose to do differently, because of this time. What now seems important to us, important enough to commit to as we consider our lives from this point forward? Look at not just the big commitments of life, but also the smaller things that we are discovering that contribute to our contentment and personal sense of well being. Begin with the building blocks of these as the very early stages of emerging new life.
Spiritually, we trust the positive stirrings within us, the pieces of insight we have had, the inner pull to open to the prospect of renewed life through changing times. Life is resilient and therefore, so are we. (Susan Nettleton)