Page 31 - seniors today november 2020
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Gratitude represents our ability to see There is no “right way to do” a global
miracles beyond materialism. It is one of the pandemic and nothing matters more than
most transformative states of being - shifting one’s mental health. While society urges us
perspective from lack to abundance. “It to use the quarantine to be more productive,
makes the mundane memorable”. It turns a everyone copes in different ways. Some of
meal into a feast, a stranger into a friend, and us need space and time to process the global
the messiness of life into blessings. trauma we’re facing, without feeling like
When I see the misery and pain inflicted we’re failing. Many people don’t have the
by this dreaded virus, I am thankful for luxury of ample free time. They are juggling,
my privileges, and, remind myself to be multiple roles - being impromptu cooks,
grateful every moment of my life. I can stay counsellors, home school teachers, and
comfortably at home with a kitchen stocked business owners, sometimes working long
with food, reading, working, creating, hours at jobs - all at once, while trying to
and talking to my loved ones. I feel a deep keep their sanity intact. We’re living through
sense of gratitude to the unsung heroes in a paradigm shift in our culture, mourning
the world, the doctors, nurses, caregivers, the loss of thousands of lives, as well as the
construction workers, delivery drivers, society we were all accustomed to.It has
rubbish collectors, police officers, farmers taught me to practice patience, forgiveness
and first responders, who take risks for and compassion and to set aside judgment
everyone else; to local shopsthat stay well and negativity.
stocked and go out of their way to help
their customers, while big supermarkets Deeper questions
struggle. If there is only one thing that I Spirituality is all about gaining mastery
can do, it is to be a support - especially to over one’s desires so that they don’t take us
our most vulnerable - abandoned pets, on a tangent and make us do inappropriate
migrant workers in dire need of sustenance, things. Spirituality allows us to move past
orphaned children…. Altruistic behavior superficiality, to ask deeper questions about
ripples through networks. A network can life’s purpose and meaning and the truth
spread a virus -- but it can also spread about existence, “fearlessly peering into the
happiness, help, gratitude and optimism. mysterious nature of life.” This has been a
time of introspection; we have transformed
this imposed pause into a reset of sorts.
This cultural stillness has given a unique
opportunity to see ourselves a little more
clearly, in a ‘mindful solitude’.
The Gita teaches how to attain tranquility
by showing us ways to navigate life, guided
by universal values and develop a mind
that operates from a problem-solving mode,
free of self-created projections. One then
experiences joy and grace, which changes,
and heals our world and us. Using, prayer,
chanting and meditation, I inch closer to that
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #17 | NOVEMBER 2020 31
