I have but a few moments left, it seems, to get a blog entry written for 2020. My last blog entry was February 2019. It's been awhile. And bumpy ride for many.
My wife and I have been fortunate during COVID in that both our jobs were considered "essential services" and we both were able to keep our jobs and not be laid off or down-sized. Nonetheless, I gave up a perfectly good job in order to try a new adventure this year, and am extremely pleased with the leap, despite the risks.
I have so much to write - as it's been awhile - and yet, struggling with figure out how to organize it. As I said, so much has happened this past year - outside of ourselves - and it's a lot to digest, process, and stay healthy. Mentally and physically.
There is no question that our world, our society will be changed for a long time as a result of the circumstances that have surrounded us.
My wife predicts that mask wearing will become standard for long-term. She - as a germaphobe - certainly would like to see that be the case, but I personally believe that is is likely to be a mid-term "norm". That once more and more have been vaccinated, and the numbers go down, many of us will be quite happy to shed our masks. I admit sitting on the fence on this. I understand, respect, and therefore wear a mask for the greater safety. But I find myself, often like a child, pulling at it in the grocery store to get more air, and to not sweat to death under the mask. When my brain works, I know this means I might want to try some different masks to see which ones might work better, but lazy me just instead lives with the situation, including the fogged glasses from time to time, and moves along looking forward to when it might not be a "norm".
What I am hoping that has developed from this, that develops from this overall situation, is that we learn new ways to connect with each other. I don't know that this will happen, but maybe folks have figured out how to "hang out" with those at a distance in new and creative ways. People have learned how to develop ways to entertain themselves / soothe themselves when unable to distract themselves with others. And on the other side of the framework, those who have had way too many distractions at home, have perhaps grown a deeper appreciation for the work of others who help keep our kids educated and entertained. Perhaps we grow a greater appreciation of the village that surrounds us and the value it provides.
I am dancing in my head around touching the many and overlapping political situations. Third rail kind of discussions. Not that this has stopped me in the past. But instead of diving into those directly, I will take a detour to Ancient Rome. To Marcus Aurelius. I've recently discovered him. Or rather, indirectly through pithy quotes, his Meditations.
My understanding - or my image - of his Meditations - which may be inaccurate - is that these were "isms" he wrote down for himself. The imagery in my mind is of Al Franken as Stuart Smalley (this is a generational memory, clearly) and his daily affirmations. And some of it is that, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me".
But I think some of his quotes are deeper than that, and are certainly appropriate for this age and times. I'm not the only one who thinks that: The Guardian posted an article about Marcus Aurelius in times of the Pandemic.
He is from the philosophical "movement" known as "stoicism", which apparently after doing a Google search to come up with a "pithy" description of it for here, I've learned is very controversial today. I say that a little tongue in cheek, a little over-dramatically, but the first entry that came up for me was an article from "aynrand.org" which says (I did not click into it) in the pithy Google snip that Stoicism is "deeply problematic". (Technically, their system of valuing is "deeply problematic" to be precise).
Nonetheless, we get out of things ideally that which provides us value, and learn to reject the things that don't. Which ironically, or not, is a bit of stoicism in practice.
I do remember the appeal of stoicism when I learned about it in sixth grade history class. So it is not surprising that 40 or so years later, I still find it appealing. Some of what I have read as his quotes match my inner philosophy already. Some of the quotes refine it better, use good words, better than how me think. (That was a poor example of poor wording). But I have found my brief searches for quotes to be illuminating, and thought provoking, and comforting in that they align with my own beliefs, too.
There is a part of me that wants to share a hundred (okay that's an exaggeration) quotes with you all at once, and yet a part of me that thinks one quote at a time is more appropriate to take time to deeply think and absorb it. So many of them are applicable not only to "The Plague" but to the political situations around us. And some of those quotes, even, might spark some controversy when applied to a greater context.
An example: "The best answer to anger is silence."
At a personal level, that might be so. It might not, because I also confess, I get really frustrated when my wife doesn't get mad at me, she just gets silent. (Or maybe that's the point, certainly coupled with other quotes from him).
Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.
This one really makes me think. And think outside myself, as well.
(And now my office is full of people, and I can think no more...I will post, an open ended post, instead).
Happy New Year everyone. May 2021 bring us peace, health and safety.
Happy New Year! And be well.
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