With the hope of a vaccinated public to curb the restrictions of Covid, we look toward the return of normalcy. The question remains, what parts do we welcome back into our lives?
These past 10 months have provided a taste of an alternate universe: one that is slower, quieter, and filled with intention. Profound loss yields unmatched reflection. In one way or another, humanity experienced shared grief.
As hungry as we are for this to be remembered only through the pages of a history book, it is a waste to not reflect on our growth. In therapy, we are often taught that the most heart-wrenching and desperate times of our life are precursors to an extraordinary period of self-transformation. When this enlightenment is achieved, it is impossible to pull the veil of ignorance back, again. We saw. We learned. We evolved.
This leads us to where we are both collectively and individually… now… in 2021, looking toward the end of a moment of intense and forced reflection. We spent a year adapting to unfamiliar and uncontrollable surroundings. What did we learn about ourselves in the process? What of others? Who and what still is worthy of a place in our current lives?
New year’s resolutions are checklists of items we want to change and habits we wish to begin. This month, our year starts differently. Instead of making goals of what we want to change, we reflect on what we want to retain. As the whispered promise of renewal and rebirth, we resolve with a type of homecoming – one in which our past is forever altered because of our current path.
Find a moment to step away and meditate on last year’s completion. Acknowledge the pain of separation, of loss, of confusion, of devastation, and of the fear that accompanies the unknown. Then allow yourself the moments to experience the wonder of a handwritten letter, a phone call, a familiar face, a text message, a check-in. What parts allowed you to melt into a smile felt in the depths of your being, past fleeting happiness, and into the pulsing vibration of gratitude? There you will find the parts to carry with you through all times. Here is where I find my Covid-lessons to bring into my future… the soul-molding pressure that creates beauty out of pain.
As you look ahead in 2021, I wish you peace and reflection in the moment of living, present-day nostalgia.
