I don’t mean the kind of grounding where you feel connected to the earth. I mean the kind of grounding that was your parents’ response to something you did. You know, where you weren’t allowed out of the house and couldn’t talk on the phone with your friends.
I’m thinking this may be the closest experience many of us have to the COVID restrictions. Most of us have never been in jail, or lived under a dictatorship, and yet some are reacting to their liberties being taken away. Others are grateful for the safety and security they experienced, and are nervous about things opening up.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot as I listen to and observe the responses and reactions as the social implications of COVID evolve. We have all experienced social distancing and isolation, and it became a new normal – in other words we got used to it. Some people discovered they really enjoyed the slower pace, the quieter lifestyle.
And then things changed again as some restrictions began to be lifted. People fascinate me. It’s interesting to witness the range of emotions from excited to upset to confused… sometimes all at once! This brings me back to being grounded…
What you did as an adolescent when the “grounding” time was over? You may be noticing some similarities with your behavior now.
And you may be noticing some similarities in the choices and behaviors of others around you.
I forgive myself for believing I need to judge myself or others harshly around our reactions to what is happening.
I give myself permission to recognize we are all navigating the best we know how.
I can judge or I can acknowledge. I choose to acknowledge.
I am free to acknowledge how well I am navigating, and support others to navigate from where they are.
I acknowledged how well I am moving through this time when I…
I am learning to acknowledge where I am at in a gentler and kinder way, and that ripples out to others.
I am grateful for the deeper awareness I have as a result of this COVID time.
I’ve heard the expression “We are all in the same boat” being bantered around a lot since mid March. From my perspective we are all in the same storm, but each of us has a different boat. Some boats are seaworthy while others have leaks. Some are like powerboats, and others like canoes.
May the boat that you are in be secure and move at the pace you feel comfortable moving. And may you come out of this “grounding” experience a more skilled sailor.
Namaste,