"I know that we'll find sunshine after this whirlwind of dark cloud and rain, because if winter has the courage to turn into spring, who says we can't bloom just the same." Author unknown, from Students Unraveled, April 2020.
Our world is changed forever. Isolation forced from the outside and social distancing are now part of our norm. More of our lives are in a virtual world, and social media is a part of that virtual world. In that virtual reality, I portray a version of myself, but that portrayal is not exactly me. I have left some aspects of myself out, and people often add in pieces that do not exist in the real me. Even in our virtual world, we can experience isolation, and can feel separated from people we love and are concerned about. We can find ourselves anxious and in a state of fear.
My Angels urge me to understand how powerful the emotion of fear can be. Fear can get in the way of what we really want, and often pretends to protect us. Fear also keeps us from doing things that may cause us harm and we can be stronger, on this side of fear. Being strong is normally part of being young, with the whole world before us. But strength decreases as we get older. I never thought of myself as an older person, but now I realise that I am. But only on the outside, on the inside I am still young.
I love these words of Albert Einstein - "I live in that solitude, which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity." Solitude, like isolation, both imply being alone, but that is where the similarities end. They are opposite states in every other important way. Solitude is actively sought after and is a personal choice that comes from an inner yearning and is a form of self-care and protection in this age of hyper-information and a digital landscape. I enjoy solitude as a place to rise from, to challenge the world and share wisdom in these "delicious years of maturity".
In the week ahead, my friends, try not to be afraid. Turn your focus from fear and isolation, to solitude. Be open to the guidance of the universe, which I believe, is able to heal so much within and around us. Have a great week. Arohanui. Shirley-Joy
