In all honesty... there have been times I have forgotten about the journey. Particularly over the last year, in all of its physical distancing, masking, cancelling of events. In all of its disruption and... despair.
Those early days of the pandemic were a time of panic and exhaustion. Setting up any type of "virtual practice," with all of its practical limits, including technological, bureaucratic and financial hurdles, were excruciating. Of course, thankfully, this paled in comparison to what so many have had to go through financially, let alone health-wise. Adding in all of the family and social upset, as well as political upheaval, these times have tested the very fabric of society. Day after day of bad news, warnings, restrictions...
And then, there was that day. No particular good news was reported, vaccines were still off in the future, and plenty of people were not heeding recommendations on how to control the pandemic. Still, I remember a thought of "we're getting through this," and a feeling of...confidence? Confidence in the idea that, if not all of us, then enough of us were persevering through this crisis by caring for each other. Our society was creaking along, the safety net, though challenged, was holding together.
Resilience. That particular power of surviving hard times and not losing sight of the journey, the journey that is still here, whatever the trials to be faced. We strengthen each other with resilience, reminding each other that we are solidly linked in our hearts and on our paths. To think that we are not in need of each other is to invite danger if not tragedy. While our individuality celebrates freedom and joy, we are doomed if we do not recognize our web of connection.
And so, here we are, reflecting one another our belief in each other, no longer taking for granted that need for connection. In all honesty, I don't believe we have a choice.