X Marks the Sweet Spot

I’ll fess up … this post has little to do with the letter “X” – apart from the fact it marks this time as one of the year’s Sweet Spots. No, it’s not good that people are dying and others are quite unwell with COVID-19 symptoms. But there is much to commend this time. How else would we have cleared our calendars and ejected from the merry-go-round.

We talk about slowing down and refocusing, prioritising – but seriously, when does that ever happen.

At the risk of sounding like Pollyanna, there is all kinds of good to be found in this time. In the words of the Monty Python song: Always look on the bright side. Our psyche may be all shook up and our fears and uncertainties triggering in all kinds of ways but I can’t help feel happy and relaxed. Does anyone else feel like mother nature has given us the nod as to who is in control. Of one thing I am certain. It is not us.

So what is the upside of our enforced down time. Here are my top ten:

1. I can sit in my chair and do absolutely nothing. Nada. Zilch. Of course, I could have done this before but it would have been accompanied by doses of guilt.
2. The calendar is empty – just looking at it makes me feel calm.
3. The air quality has time to recover with the reduction in green houses gases, and other air, water and polluting outputs. India’s mountains are visible.
4. There is nowhere to go and nowhere to be except here with me and me cuppa tea I know, it’s beginning to show, huh.
5. It has made us aware of our role in the great universal plan: maybe we’re a tad more modest and less cock-sure of how important we are. We’re realising what we can and can’t control.
6. Life goes on.
7. We’re more resilient than we thought. We will get through this.
8. The price of fuel has come down even though we can’t go anywhere.
9. Governments have found squillions to support common folk through the crisis.
10. We’ve found a new normal which is way less stressful than old normal.

So, I’m curious. What’s your upside to this pandemic?

Gratitude Moments:

• The lovely conversation with two fellow campers this morning during which we talked about where we would head once regional borders are relaxed.
• That we’ve been fishing and head out again this afternoon.
• The cooler evenings; flannelette PJs.