The Comfort and Safety of Isolation

What came to mind as you heard the title of this week’s blog? Did it bring a feeling of relief as you thought, “It’s nice not to have to face such a turbulent world anymore!” On the other hand, did you think, “Yes, I feel safe and less stressed, but life has lost some of its excitement and the expectation of possible new adventures right around the corner.”

Part of getting older is that our world tends to reach a point where the expansion of growing up and always reaching for the next new goal or adventure begins to wane. This is especially true when one has stopped working because of retirement, illness, or disability. Life no longer pulls us out of our comfort zone. At that point, we must make a conscious and concerted effort to yank ourselves off the couch and step out into the uncertain and hazardous world where danger abounds, and potential catastrophe awaits.

Without warning or planning, we fall into the inevitable inertia that we are indoctrinated to believe comes with a declining form. We wonder how, just because we reach a certain age, we stop looking at life as an exciting, wonderous journey. We may often begin succumbing to our aching joints and diminished energy. They give us a free pass to stop seeking the wonders and mysteries hidden and tucked away in the spaces and places just beyond our daily routine and familiar surroundings because it is just too much effort.

Enter 2020 and a global pandemic, and the obstacles to freedom and overcoming this supposedly unavoidable fate become insurmountable. It is no longer a self-imposed isolation but a mandated one. We are told we must stay home and isolated if we want to stay alive. We fuss and bluster and protest loudly and self-righteously but a little voice inside of us just might say, “Cool, an unexpected, prolonged vacation from the rigors of earth’s challenges. I’ll take it.”

Yet, as the days and months tick by and life seems like an endless Groundhog Day, we become a bit listless, unmotivated, and perhaps, despondent or despairing. Our bodies lose some vigor and strength, and our butts widen from our constant life as a pathetic “couch potato.” We then begin to ponder, “What is the point of staying alive if I have no purpose, no challenges, and no new experiences to look forward to? Yet, we’re not sure what the answers are. Hence, our yawns become more frequent and our smiles and laughter less spontaneous. Our inner voice keeps urging us to get up and back into the river of life. We counter, unceremoniously, that we cannot possibly comply because we forgot how to swim. Besides that, we argue, we are no longer in good enough shape to survive the shifting currents and sometimes turbulent waters.

So how in the world do we muster the courage, fortitude, and inspiration to find a new purpose or “raison d’etre.” It is not that complicated. We find it in the fact that we are still here. Our soul came here to accomplish the business of evolving and making a difference. If we had completed our mission, we would be basking in the warm and comforting sunshine of the spirit world. Through our contemplation and meditation, things start to shift. We finally begin to listen to the still small voice within that says, “Come on, get back in there. The world needs you. You need you!”

Presto! The light comes back on and our inner world is illuminated and sparklingly beautiful once again. We are not sure what is next for us or how we will move forward in our soulful effort, but we triumphantly and determinately roar a mighty “Yes!” to life. We raise open our tightly shut windows and let the invigorating fresh air filter in through our flared nostrils and fill our lungs. We open our doors wide. Symbolically, and figuratively we step out into the wonderous and spectacular world that awaits us. We trust that our spiritual path will find us. We are ready to continue doing what we know is one of the best feelings in the world, being of service to others and the world.

I am sure for a lot of us, this sounds all too familiar. For my husband and I, this past year has been both a blessing and a curse. We have enjoyed each other’s company in a way we never expected to. Our routine was always filled with lighted candles, sweet wine, and thoughtful conversation. Our love for each other deepened to a level we thought we had already found. That was incredible. However, we missed our families, our children, grandchildren, and our friends. Fortunately, we both meditate and write on a regular basis so that helped keep us connected to our soul and the wisdom, guidance, and encouragement it consistently offers.

Yet, finding the energy and zest we needed to recapture some of our youthful enthusiasm was still a struggle. In walked our feisty and fantastic grandchildren Sawyer, 13, and Sabrina, almost 10. They spun into our lives for a week-long stay with Nana and Papa, no Mom and Dad, just the four of us. They upended our couch, got us on our feet and carried us into their bright and beautiful world. We could not help being fully in their glorious precious moment with them. It also resulted in a surprising and welcoming feeling of bringing back some of the forgotten memories and spirited emotions from our youthful days of simplicity, naivety, and spontaneity. Our aches and pains faded into the background, at least some of the time, as we began, once again, experiencing life through the eyes, hearts, laughter, and innocence of childhood. They swept us up into their cyclone of activity and we reveled in the vibrancy and joy that filled every breath we took. Our hearts danced and our souls glowed brighter with every warm hug and “I love you” they showered upon us.

Unaware, they came with a message and a lesson to teach. Age is just a number to record linear time. The soul is ageless and infinitely retains the giddiness and excitement of life, no matter where we are or what is happening in the forefront of our physical lives. The theatre stage in our life, in other words, our soul is constant and never changes, only the content or the actors, sets, and scenery change. Children race from one performance to the next, brushing off the drama from their yesterdays, and jumping headfirst into whatever comes next in their limitless tomorrows.

In just a few short days, I am filled with a renewed anticipation and appreciation for every moment I have left on this beautiful planet. I will follow their lead and laugh more, worry less, enjoy the simple things, and always keep moving, dancing, singing and loving. Thank you to our beautiful grandchildren, Sawyer, and Sabrina. We promise we will never forget and will forever be grateful for your love.