What do you miss?
What do you miss?
I miss leaving the house without fear, embracing my son and looking onto the eyes of my loved ones without a screen between us.
This state of collective quarantine will not last forever.
While it is true that the world will be changed in ways we cannot yet fully comprehend, we will be able to reclaim experiences that are at the very heart of our humanity: touch, eye contact, physical presence.
I am so grateful for the digital platforms that are keeping me connected to loved ones and allowing me to continue serving therapy clients.
Today, I even suggested that a dear social media holdout in my family consider getting on Facebook right now to ease his isolation.
Yet, we know that there is something lacking in our screen-based communication.
We cannot get our hits of the happy hormone oxytocin through a screen and the parts of our brains wired for deep, embodied connection do not light up.
I don't want to bright-side this situation: I know that many of you have lost your jobs and taken a huge financial hit.
You might be in a high-risk group, living in fear every day. Know that I am sending you Loving Kindness every single day and doing my part to keep you safe.
Maybe you work for an essential business and still need to go to work (a group in which Black, Brown, poor and working class people are overrepresented).
If that is the case, thank you. I wish I could hug you.
We are also starting to get sick, know people who are sick and to even know people who have died from Coronavirus. Our hearts are breaking. But if you can...
Sit down right now and write yourself a letter.
Ask yourself:
What have I taken for granted? How can I practice appreciation?
Who are my most beloveds? Do they know how much they mean to me?
What am I learning that I want to retain when physical distancing is no longer necessary?
For what do I anticipate a sweet return?
Note what you can do right now to let people know you love them and then put your letter in an envelope to open when we are once again free to embrace our lives and each other without fear.
Much Love,
Christina
P.S. If you’ve read this far, thank you! I invite you to join my mailing list for occasional musings and updates on retreats and events. I won't spam you, or share your data. Let's start supporting small businesses on platforms they own!