Did this thought cross your mind recently? It certainly came up to my mind.
During this lockdown when we have the time for introspection and analysis, I often find myself going down the memory lane to “good old times”. I know we have a tendency to idealise the past and probably this is one of my coping mechanisms with this situation, but it has a grain of wisdom coming out of it.
Of course, not everything was perfect back then. Still, what remained with me are fragments of feelings or thoughts that probably I didn’t appreciate enough at that time when my mind was too busy with the day-to-day hustle that now it’s difficult to even remember.
What I would give to sense again the lilac and linden trees smell which I always associate with spring, or to find myself again in embarrassing situations with my friends which somehow always happen when we meet,
or to simply be in crowded places without the fear of catching a deadly virus!
There is a saying I know: “A black sheep spoils the whole flock” which is accurate for the way our minds process information, even if, nowadays, the majority of us don’t deal with life threatening situations anymore.
On top of this, people don’t cherish what they have until it’s gone (me included sometimes and now the entire planet!) and very few are happy simply with what they have.
So, you see, happiness is very fragile. It comes from the constant balancing of what we have and what we want. And our human nature always wants more and more, judging it by the intensity rather than the contentment and peace that happiness brings.
Maybe after this situation ends, we will be more inclined to value the futility of life and the present moment and stop chasing the future gratifications so much. Because, isn’t it, we have just learned how unpredictable the future is and how easily humankind can be swept away from the planet.
If you ask me, I already have a detailed list of what I want to do once we’re allowed to go out and, surprisingly, it includes simple things that I was doing daily anyway. Only that this time around, I’ll do them with more intention and gratitude.
I truly hope that the change in the collective mindset happening these days will shape a better and more genuine normality for tomorrow as this small organism proved to us, if needed, one more time, that we are all in the same boat.
Hold on in there! Better days are coming!
Much love,
Xtina
