These days I feel blessed.
It's been ten or twelve years since the global financial crash and although there is still the memory of its worst days in my mind, mostly it's only a shadow now. The roads as I drove around the city over the last few days, reminded me of that time.
Although many people today might be worried for the future, there seems to me to be a calmness around the place, and that can't be a bad thing.
The kids can get up in the mornings without being dragged. The pressure to be on top of gymnastics, swimming, rugby, GAA and so on is not there. People are wishing each other well and it seems like they mean it. There's no rush hour, no road rage, no drama – well, apart from COVID-19.
Are people starting to calm down a little?
Are we finally rediscovering our humanity?
I live on that tiny island off mainland Europe, the one that all my American friends still think is part of Britain. Here, we're into COVID-19 a couple of weeks now, and we are as close to lockdown as you can get. Thankfully though, it seems that our government has managed to get its shit together fairly sharpish.
There are advantages to being a small nation.
Although cases are rising and people remain vigilant, the mass hysteria I was somewhat expecting to explode, didn't. There's is paranoia alright, but perhaps it's a healthy paranoia.
As I contemplate the challenges of small business owners and employees losing their jobs, I consider myself lucky – no, fortunate. Blind luck has nothing to do with it. Back in the bad old days of 2008 to 2015, I was in the same boat they now find themselves, only back then there was no financial assistance from government.
So in many ways, today is not that bad.
Back then, the banks and Revenue commissioners weren't so kind to people who lost their job or their business.
Regardless, as I consider the difficult conditions many of you may find yourselves, I have complete empathy.
If it's of any consolation, I know how you feel.
The good news is, it gets better.
“All events in your life are neutral until you label them. Nothing has meaning until you give it meaning.”
-My mentors, mentor
Larry, what I love about your articles is the way you invite your readers to come to their own conclusions… it’s very liberating and empowering and aligns with your values and the tenets of “The Artist’s Manifesto.
In Gratitude,
BK-
Howaya Bob!Good to hear from you…You’re very welcome. Thanks for reading
Thanks, Larry
I am 75 yrs old. I too remember a few times in my past when “things” were worse for me financially and emotionally. I can hold out comfortably. Is This an unprecedented global experience for humans on this planet? Is It a warning about our divergence from and our disassociation with Nature because of overpopulation? Do we have a record of anything close in the history of modern civilization?
You know Susan, I think this is a remarkable event and we are certainly changing how we live. I think some of these fears and anxieties will last a long time. But like I mentioned in an article a few days ago, people don’t change by conscious effort, we change only when we have a right-now red-hot need to change. In fact, it’s like the change happens on its own and we have no choice but to change with it.
thanks for reading!
-Larry
Very uplifting – thanks Larry and all the best.
Sorry Larry, but in my impending dotage, I’m not sanguine, or even mildly optimistic. This current ‘crisis’ is ‘MUM’ nature crying foul on one of her most destructive offspring, and enacting a retroactive abortion on that species.
You know, we can’t experience life for anyone else – we feel how we feel. I agree that whether covid proves to be malicious or not, we get what we ask for every time. However, I am tentatively positive in that once the dust settles things may be slightly better. In fact, the deeper into chaos we go, the better things will be on the other side. Kind of like the ebb and flow of a sine wave.
Thanks for reading Michael!
-Larry
Many thanks for reading Wilburson. Love the exchanges on these…
– Larry