A time to reboot by Sue Robin

As more people get vaccinated, things will start to change. Now is a really good time to look at who, and how, we want to be.

Joe Biden honors the half million US lives lost to coronavirus—CNN

Millions of Texans still reeling from water disruptions after last week’s brutal Arctic blast—USA Today

The Most Likely Timeline for Life to Return to Normal—The Atlantic

February 22, 2021

A time to reboot
by Sue Robin, Los Angeles, California

People talk about a new “normal,” but I hope there never is one. Normal, for most of us humans, is the routine we follow or fall into in our day-to-day lives. Not only who we see and what we eat, but how we respond as well. One becomes used to all kinds of things; some pleasant, some ordinary, and some horrific. My prayer is that we learn from this shutdown. It is giving us a moment to reset or, in today’s lingo, reboot.

We have been pulled away from our daily human contacts and have had ample opportunity to see how well our relationships are working, or not, and to see what we miss most from the outside world. Did we spend months on end in petty arguments? Did it come as a surprise at how well you transitioned into kindness and cooperation with those you live with? Did you find that eating breakfast at home can be as lovely as eating out?

I hope that we can alter those relationships that have been nudgy and make them into the pearl that comes from constant irritation. Let us recognize not only the beauty but also the petty, and honor them both. Let’s make our new normal not one of routine but the strength and fortitude and grace that we have shown or been shown during this crisis. We humans do come together (even when we are apart) to support and nurture one another.

As we move back into a life outside our own bubble, let it be one of balance. Maybe not return to daily lattes or traffic jams or missed moments. Let us remember what a bit of quietude feels like. Acknowledge with gratitude those who have done small kindnesses and pay it forward.

This is more than a stop and smell the roses kind of conversation. It is more like an opportunity for us all to reassess every aspect of our lives. Clean out a closet or a drawer or cabinet. Share what you no longer need with those who do. Likewise scrub the cobwebs from your brain and open your heart.

May new ideas flourish and let loving kindness be the way we heal a world from too many losses and too much pain. It is time for each human to recognize ourselves in each other and to at last honor the concept that we are all One.