It looks like the entire world is slowly entering into a time of rest due to Covid-19, the latest corona-virus to affect humans. As I listen to news reports and updates from around the world, it seems “social distancing” and contagion precautions are everywhere. Lock-downs and recommendations to “shelter in place” are springing up in more and more places. This forced stillness is bringing with it a chance for all of us, and even nature, to restore ourselves.
It’s astounding the stillness that is permeating our world. There are news reports and online write-ups of nature taking advantage of our noticeable retreat from the previous hustle of society. From Italy to China to New Delhi and other places abroad, nature is indeed springing up and reclaiming its ground. Even in the States, which is following in China and Italy’s isolation practices, traffic is slowing and thinning. I live in a major metropolitan area and the stillness is becoming more noticeable every day.
The stillness is even invading my space now. Which is actually a good thing. I could use the rest.
One thing I’ve noticed stronger this past week is how easy relaxing is now. It’s strange. I haven’t been able to truly relax consistently for several months. I mean, seriously, its been ongoing probably since last October. That is a long time for me to be in a constant battle to find rest, and strive have my work in a consistent groove. It’s been a mental battle for sure.
This realization made me reflect back over recent months and I had a sort of epiphany. It’s like I could literally feel a building up of a constant need to find rest. Like there was a constant tension in every area around me. And, every place I turned seemed to reflect the same back at me. There was no rest to be found. So, we all persevered and hoped for a light at the end of the tunnel. I did all my responsibilities. I prayed and I trusted God. Then I carried on with life like everyone else.
And now, after reflecting on that strange need for rest I decided to search out my blog posts. I thought I hid my struggles better, but apparently I did not. My blog posts definitely reflected my need for rest.
A few searches within my website of all my blog posts revealed some interesting finds concerning rest and couple of other related words.
I found three posts speaking of the need to “reset“. There were four posts on “restore” in my search results. Then there were over forty posts using the word “rest”. In total that’s almost fifty mentions on the topic overall. Over the last six months alone those words were used seventeen times (in only thirteen posts). But, most interesting, is that eleven of those mentions were in eight posts of thirteen total posts in 2020. (Mind you this post here is only my thirteenth post of 2020.) That’s a lot of recent mentions!
So, obviously, I was feeling something going on. And it appears that it wasn’t just me. It was all around us. Possibly nature, or dare I say God Almighty Himself, was warning us of a shift coming our way. Well, the shift seems to have arrived. Suddenly, there seems to be peace. A peace is settling in and spreading, gradually reaching worldwide. A complete rest settling in everywhere. Nature feels it too.
Yes, there is a virus spreading amongst us. The news and the governments locally and worldwide are keeping us abreast of the latest developments. Among those reports are the usual overzealous reports that are inciting extra fear and worry among many. But, overall, I think most people are settling back into their usual coping mechanisms, or developing new skills to face these very different times.
These times are definitely different. And we must change and adapt as needed.
That is ultimately the perception that is rising up even now. Like I said, it’s like this change has been rumbling for a while. And now this shift is in motion. Somehow, I do not believe we will ever truly go back to the world which existed a few short months ago. Our world has changed. Yes, some things will remain and be our constants. Yet, in some ways, there are changes that are now forever irrevocable. At the simplest point, our perceptions are broadened and marked. But, I think it goes beyond that simplistic level. And… We cannot go back.
Therefore, we must learn and adapt in our new world. No one can say right now what changes, if any, will be permanent in a post Covid-19 world. In what ways will it affect our future of socializing, working, shopping, worshiping, traveling, currency, and so on? And how will we adapt to proceed and form a new “normal”? Only time will tell.
But, mark my words, we must prepare ourselves for this shift that is happening even now. Times are a changing, my friend.
What will you do to succeed and rise above the changes that loom ahead of you? Let me advise you: Dig in, find peace. And figure out your shifting future now so you’ll be ready.
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