Coronavirus / Finding the positives in adversity
As part of our Covid-19 coverage we are asking our readers to contribute short personal, reflective pieces that touch on the many aspects of living through these unprecedented times. We make a start with Carol Jamieson from Tresta.
Everything has slowed down. Even, for the majority of us, time itself. We are living in a month of Sundays. What can that mean for some of us?
Let’s look. I can take this opportunity to sit and dwell on the disaster that surrounds me, or I can embrace the experience and allow myself to stand back and observe who I am and what positives are in adversity.
For the vast majority of us I acknowledge that we are not, at this moment, dying. That is the first thing and the most important. We dug out some old family videos from around 25 years ago and have watched them together with joy, tears and much laughter.
My three children are chronicled from three to eight-ish. It’s strange how we always make children the stars of the show, I suppose it’s because they have no inhibitions at that age, life is simple and straightforward then – I’m hungry, let’s play, I’m tired.
The truth is, it’s the moments when someone you have lost appears on the screen that you feel the deepest. You would give anything to have them with you again and beat yourself up about not spending enough time with them when we could. It’s these things that teach about appreciation, forgiveness, thankfulness.
In the stillness of time and the peacefulness of this quietened world I begin to understand what is really important.
I myself have my own lockdown journey which is opening up my consciousness. Nothing looks the same; nothing will ever look the same again.
I have spent a portion of time fretting about what might happen to me and my loved ones but have managed to stop. It was only adding suffering on top of an already difficult time. I have done enough thinking, it’s time to stop and just be.
Descartes proclaimed ‘I think therefore I am’ but this would imply that by thinking I am in touch with who I am, I say the opposite is the case….stop thinking, then the realisation of who you are will rise to the surface. According to Pooh, Descartes didn’t finish the sentence; it should read ‘I think therefore I am… confused’ – much better.
I find myself remembering everything is universal and we are but a speck of dust in the cosmos. My beautiful, wise and wonderful brother used to say ‘everything matters but nothing matters much’; a phrase which means more and more to me as I journey through life.
This massive opportunity thrust upon me in this most dreadful way is a chance for much contemplation and inner self-reflection. The time has come for me to realise I must stop, be still and know that I can free myself from exhaustion.
Embracing the birdsong, the waves on the beach, the always perfect sky and the incredible beauty that surrounds us. The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence.
Please feel free to get in touch and share your thoughts and experiences of what challenges life throws at you right now.
How do you cope with self-isolation, being unable to go to work or see friends, with home education, with loneliness? And what do you do to counter it? Start an Open University course, or go through all those family photos or videos Carol refers to?
We look forward to hearing from you at news@shetnews.co.uk
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