I was hiking with a friend yesterday and talking about life, both our own and the world in general. The topic of COVID came up, along with other sad current events. We discussed how COVID stalled many of our lives. We just had to stop, get out of the stream of life, and wait for a while. It was both terrifying, devastating, and invigorating—depending on your circumstances. Across the board it made us take stock of our lives and the world. In many cases, this dramatic time in life changed the course of our lives. It certainly did mine.
In some ways life became more precious and fragile. Our sense of mortality was heightened. At the same time, even greater rifts were created in society. To vaccinate or not. Individual freedom versus the collective…and so much more. Many people suffered the loss of life, the loss of structure, the loss of income, the loss of education, the loss of social interaction. We’re still paying the price, and we will, I suspect, for years to come.
Eddy: A current, as of water or air, moving in a direction that is different from that of the main current. Eddies generally involve circular motion; unstable patterns of eddies are often called turbulence.
When the flow of life becomes unpredictable and even erratic, it might not be a bad idea to wait it out a bit in a calm eddy if that is an option. Sometimes life comes barreling at us and sweeps us into the main current and all we can do is hold on for dear life. Other times, something so shocking may happen, that we just stop in our tracks and even get out of the water altogether.
On a personal note, I’ve learned over the years not to swim upstream. It’s exhausting and ineffective. Sometimes, when the flow of our lives is not clear, we might find ourselves in an eddy. Counter to the flow of others or society in general, and sometimes even going in circles on the sideline.
As my dear friend, Jennifer, and I were talking about our lives during our hike, I was trying to picture where I am in the flow. I am not cruising down the river with the steam, but at the same time I am no longer resisting the flow of my life. Instead, it feels like I’m on the side a bit, in a calm eddy, taking stock, taking care of business, and waiting for the impulse to dive back into the main current.
Wherever you are in your stream of life on this Memorial Day, and the start of a new moon cycle, may you be at peace, not struggling in the wrong direction, not trying to make the flow go faster, but instead accepting what is in your life today.
Remarkable insight. So visual. So authentic and vulnerable.
I am in an Eddy of mass proportions…….I didn’t have words for it. Now, I, do.
After reading this (my first) posting of yours……I understand the importance of “paddling to the shore for awhile to find relief from the turmoil.”
A lesson learned and so welcoming…… after the death of a husband these are words of comfort.
…….”accepting what is in your life today.”
Thank you.