This past Wednesday I did something I have not done since Covid hit – over 2 ½ years ago. My God, 2 ½ years!!!!! It feels like forever. Dramatic I know, but that is how it feels.
I got on a train and went into NYC to meet with 3 wonderful friends. When I left the house, I thought I knew what to expect. I had such visions of the train ride based on old times. What a shock I received! Each row of seats had one person in it with few exceptions. Grand Central Station was practically empty. There were some of us who had masks on while the majority did not. It made me question if folks are still frightened of travel? I thought I was the long hold-out… Is it that so many are now working from home and needn’t travel to the city? Perhaps both?
Regardless of the cause, it shows us that life can change, life does go on. One day you can barely move in Grand Central Station because of the masses crowding you and the next day you can run without touching anyone. Change at its most visible state.
My friends and I used to meet regularly; it was always in my book, ready. Accountability partners ready to confront anything in order to support each other, sometimes laughingly and sometimes with a solid “What are you thinking!” A gift of intimacy and trust-filled connection. We have all changed in these years and it is even better because of the depth. We went back to what we knew and treasured, jokes, testing, support, confronting, and going deeper.
In contrast, a new client today spoke of her husband’s passing after 4 years of being his caretaker and how she instantly shut down and began packing his things at the nursing home, at their home to sell it, and now, after his funeral she is still buried under the excessive paperwork with insurance, and so much more.
When she is done with overwhelm, the paperwork, etc. her whole world is different permanently; there is no going back. She will begin anew. She now must define how she wants her life to look, who she wants to be at this stage in her life, where and how she wants to live. Everything is now totally new, a new way of life and a new way to approach it as a single woman.
She gave away all the furniture he liked, the dishes, everything. She wants to start over; she just has no idea how, where, or what it should look like or be like.
What change is taking place in your life this month? How are you reacting or responding to it? Will it be going back to what you knew yet making it better or starting all over, making a whole new journey and loving who you are becoming? Bring change into your life – it’s freeing!
