I got to thinking about the recent changes we’ve had to make relating to Covid: wearing masks,
staying at home, hearing news of people’s deaths. We are currently viewing aggression in the
Ukraine as well as in the United States. There are so many recent transitions from our usual
way of being, and we experience this chaos together.
There was a time when people were afraid of the effects of Covid, and left New York City
(March 2020), driving under pressure, for fear they would be stuck, for fear they would be
asked not to leave the urban environment.
Wearing masks is another transition. I have difficulty recognizing people behind their mask.
My neighbors are much better at this. One day, I walked out of my home and saw a woman
wearing a mask. “Oh, I said out loud, covering my mouth, I forgot my mask.” (Of course, I
returned home to collect my camouflage.) She replied, “It’s so nice to see lipstick on
someone.” Her kind comment touched my heart and reminded me that we miss seeing
mouths, expressions, subtle gestures. Interacting is much less intimate behind the disguise.
We’re distanced. My need for social discourse is only partially satisfied behind my covering. My
freedom is curtailed.
There are decisions whether to use the subway, to travel by plane, to accept social invitations.
I’ve said yes to all of these, (wearing masks and taking other safety measures), and I’ve made
my way in transition and, therefore, challenge. I want to choose love over fear in these
decisions, keeping myself safe but also reaching into the social realm when I can. We will all
make different choices, and this needs to be respected!
Knowing that we are all together in this brings me comfort. We are so powerful in the
collective, in the oneness that describes our spirituality. We are like droplets of water,
forming a powerful body, and we are in the process of creating an ocean of
change: bringing love and compassion into the world through our individual acts of
kindness and courage.
Let’s remember this in today’s challenging and changing environment.
Peace & Love,
Linda
