If you’ve read my ‘about’ page, then you already have any idea of the concepts behind this blog, and why I feel it’s important to have a place like this for women to visit, gather, read and discuss important topics and challenges we face in the world as we know it today. If you haven’t read my ‘about’ page, then please feel free to check that out first <here>.
Now, on to more important matters… what to do in the midst of the madness that has engulfed our country this month? For me personally, I’ve normally looked forward to this time of year, and what it represented… a change in season as the warm weather slowly approaches, a change in time as daylight savings begins, a change in view as Spring cleaning and outdoor activities take hold, a representation of a new beginning as we all come out of hibernation. Some of us may have even planned a vacation getaway or some sort of event or trip, to signify the start of this ‘new time’ – a time to get away from the normal everyday grind we find ourselves trapped in all year round. I, too, tried to envision myself in different places… whether it was on a tropical island beach, or hiking on a trail up in the mountains, or at a quiet lake house beyond the woods, or on some busy city street lined with shops and bars.
However, this March depicts a completely different outlook on what this new season has in store for us. As the first day of Spring rolled in this year, with it came a new debilitating and crushing season of change, the likes of which we have not seen or experienced in over 100 years. Like all of you, as I switch on the TV, I am flooded with news reports and commentaries of what is happening in our country and around the globe. It is an ever-evolving story that is being retold over and over again, and a fact of life that cannot be avoided. The word ‘coronavirus’ signifies more than just a serious and possibly deadly respiratory illness, but a path of destruction that is relentless as it continues to wreak havoc on our daily lives and existence. It is a new, but permanent part of our lives and our vocabulary, that will remain with us forever.
So… how do we cope? How do we escape? As more of us stay home from work, as schools close, as curfews are put in place, as businesses shut down, as we watch the streets empty of passersbys, commuters, and shoppers… how should we be spending our time indoors?
For me… I am focused once again on my long overdue, and not yet achieved New Year’s resolution – to watch more TV! I know…it sounds crazy, right? Why on earth would I resolve myself to commit to doing something so unproductive, so futile, so downright lazy? Well… that is exactly why! All day, every day, my life consists of work and chores and bills and kids and events and so on – that there is rarely anything left at the end of day. So, I realized what I need in between all of these tasks, is something mindless. Something to successfully catapult me to a different place and time, something to completely distract me from reality, something to make me temporarily forget the ‘goings-on’ in my own world and the world around me. Hence… Netflix…here I come!
Do you ever feel the need for the same type of distraction? What was your New Year’s resolution this year? Perhaps this is a good time to reflect on what you wanted to accomplish, what goals you set for yourself, what plans you had in mind. On the back-end of these thoughts is one final question – Am I doing something to help fulfill my purpose? Every moment we have, distracted or otherwise, can lead us towards our purpose – if we seek it. Whether it’s starting that book you’ve been meaning to read, redecorating that room in your home, starting that scrapbook, writing your memoir, catching up on your weekend chores, or just painting your toenails – this is a good time to sit back and contemplate what you need and what you want.
And then – share! Send me an email or comment here… tell me about your needed distraction and what that escape means for you. Or, tell me about any concerns or challenges that may be preventing you from fulfilling your purpose.
All of your responses will be compiled into a list of suggested activities and distractions, which I will post in an upcoming blog. We can all use the list to help keep ourselves occupied during this time of seclusion, and perhaps even lead to a larger sense of fulfillment.
Thank you all for tuning in and I hope you will visit again soon. I will end this segment with well wishes to you all, and with a signature name of my favorite lipstick. Enjoy the rest of your week!
– Chintz
