19/01/2021
Many of us felt that when we woke up on the first of January, somehow a magical reset button would have erased all of the fears and uncertainties of 2020.
And yet here we are, in the middle of a second wave of COVID-19 and all predictability has once again flown out the window.
So, what can we do? What is our next step? How do we find a semblance of control? One way is to find one thing on which to focus.
It might be helpful to think of the current environment much like a thunderstorm. We have no way to control the speed of the wind, or the amount of rain, or where the lightning will strike.
We can allow the fear to overwhelm us. We can feel powerless. We can paralyse ourselves with pessimism.
Or we can choose to focus on what we can control. We can close the windows, shut the doors, place a bucket below the leaking roof, turn the electricity off to protect appliances and enjoy the beauty of candlelight.
COVID has provided us with the same opportunity to focus on the fatalities, the uncertainty. Blame is spreading faster than the virus, when we should be focusing on unity more than ever. We can find support in our solitude, empathy in our grief.
So as we begin the year, invest your energy and focus in things that invite joy into your life. Kindness, gratitude, love, family, time with your child. When we choose to focus our energy in these areas, somehow the darkness of the pandemic seems a little lighter, much like the flickering candle brightens the storm.
Photo: Shutterstock.
