So here we are. In just a few days, we went from "normal" to being in a whole new landscape. And when I look to the future, months from now, all I see is a future that is undetermined. A future that is counting on us to be present in the here and now - to respond differently so as to create a brighter future.
There are places in the world, such as China, who are seeing the blue sky for the first time in years because the pollution has dropped considerably as business as usual has shut down.
The hustle and bustle of NYC has suddenly become quieter. Families are in their homes, together, as children are out of school and most moms and dads are working from home or out of work.
So while this crisis is creating isolation, it is also creating togetherness in other ways. We experience ourselves as a global society with how quickly one country's pandemic becomes our own. Because we truly are ONE people.
As our lives are forced to slow down dramatically, we notice the natural world. We find peace there. And for some, over the next few weeks, their backyard may be the only place they can go outside their home.
Nature is also the only constant that we have right now. It's the one thing we can depend on AND that is a huge GIFT. There is stillness in the woods. There is hope with every spring flower that blossoms. The sun always rises and always sets each day.
We're experiencing the web of life so viscerally right now as we see the ripple effects when just one part of the huge societal system shuts down. AND maybe, we'll learn just how fragile this system is and begin to create a new one that's more sustainable and balanced.
This virus, may be a reset for humanity - an opportunity to review our priorities, to implement new ideas, to connect with what's really important and to experience how much your life may depend on a fragile system.
