Your reaction to anything is a matter of how you look at it. Case in point is the proverbial answer to the question, "Is the glass half empty or half full"', To the Zen followers, there is a third option. "I see a glass with water in it", a non judgmental observation. They just see what is in there. No assessments. Going with the flow is their mantra.
I wish I was more Zen like but I am more like everyone, human. At this challenging time of lockdown and uncertainties, I have succumbed to sometimes adopting the half empty stance. I caught myself fretting over the inability of doing the usual mundane routine due to the lockdown when a realization lifted me out of it. I reminded myself I could still walk, talk, write, cook, shower and eat. Ordinary but satisfying and still comforting.
This brings to mind an insight a friend shared during a prayer meeting. She was in her mid-eighties and had been living an active life full of travel, gardening, yoga and exercise. She was engaged in a myriad of artistic activities as hobbies. She however was lamenting the fact her energy level was lower making things she loved to do especially physical ones more challenging. When she was getting depressed, she had the good fortune to be philosophical about it and told herself, it is true that there are things she could not do with ease but she has other activities that she could still do well" And as for those she could not do as well as before, she was grateful that she had been given abundant opportunities to do them fully in the past.
As I was reading the blogpost on this past prayer meeting, I was stricken by the timeliness of the following testimony by another member of the group that might help us cope with the fear and uncertainties brought about by the pandemic.
The metaphor used in the book "Under the Tuscan Sun" at the beginning and at the end of the book about the faucet that was broken and then mentioned again at the end as repaired without any explanation showed to one member how similar is the way God takes care of us. The member mentioned how this was apparent when she thought she could not say her last goodbye to a close friend during this friend's funeral mass. She was despondent about it but another friend and her daughter made it possible for her to get permission to postpone her jury duty and say her goodbyes. She also felt her close friend's love from up there when she ate with another friend Chinese food after the funeral mass. Eating at Chinese buffets was something she relished with her close friend who just passed away who knew how comforting it would be for her.
This testimony illustrates the wisdom of going with the flow and living with trust. There is One who is always with us and takes care of us.
Be strong is a common mantra during this Covid-19 pandemic. Mental and spiritual attitudes help us. Here are my favorite mantras.. Live in the moment. Doing inconvenient stuff ( putting the mask, social distancing) will be less a burden when you realize it is not only for yourself but for others. It is not only about you but the other people at these challenging times. Be kind to all as best as you can even though we do not agree on many life and safety decisions.
Lastly, it is okay to cry and be weak. To lose it with people you are cooped up with. It is hard to adjust to a new normal. Let us be humane to ourselves as we are human.
We have free choice. Let us choose hope over fear. As one poster says, this too shall pass like kidney stones though rather painfully.
In the meantime, with a grateful heart I am realizing my cup or glass is not half full or half empty it is running over after all. It is just a matter of perspective.
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