The things we do, the lives we lead, the hopes we nurture, and the paths we take… a new year is a good time to reflect on our personal journeys, our moments of happiness, achievements, grief, loss… and to learn from it all to become a better person.
In the past year, I have learnt that most of us are tougher than we think. We took on the uncertainties of the pandemic and learnt to adapt and change. It was not easy for many of us. I personally struggled with my freedoms being curtailed: having to wear a mask, being unable to move and travel at leisure, having to find new structures to work within, building resilience, protecting our vulnerabilities, understanding the fragility of life, and in it all finding the heart to be accepting, courageous and grateful.
I had to learn to slow down and appreciate the little things that I was often taking for granted: a hot meal, meaningful conversations with family, sitting under the sun, meditating under an open sky, connecting with my son miles and miles away, playing with the dog. The rhythm of life took on a much richer meaning. These were things I did before but somehow now they felt more enriching.
Many of us have been spared the pain of losing someone we love, but there are so many who could not even say a proper good bye. My heart goes out to them in prayer and healing. Death is inevitable for all of us. It is the only truth. Yet we rarely think about it or talk about it. This year has brought us up close with this certainty in very real way. And I feel strongly that every one of us must work on our spiritual selves to understand and accept that this body is only a tool with which we experience this world and it is important that we honour it. It is also important that we understand our impermanence and make space within ourselves for the eventuality of life ending.
This year was an important lesson also in the inter-connectedness of our existence which allows us in very tangible ways to understand and empathise with each other. We don’t need to do big things, we can do small, little every day things to make life better on the planet for all living beings. Random acts of kindness, conscious living, practicing minimalism, giving with an open heart and mind, speaking and acting with awareness, being proactive citizens, paying attention: it is possible for every person, and it does make a difference.
As we enter 2021, I wish you all good health, healing and fulfillment.
At WOW, we will continue to bring you stories of women and men who inspire us, along with thoughts and opinions that offer us different perspectives on how we view life.
