In 1970, twenty million Americans came together on behalf of the planet, creating a day that pays homage to Mother Earth. Fifty years later, Earth Day is recognized around the world as its network has grown to 75,000 partners in 190 countries. There are many ways we can honor and respect our planet, not just today, but every day. Here are a few suggestions:

• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Use energy-efficient appliances
• Purchase a fuel-efficient car
• Vow to have at least one “no drive” day per week
• Conserve energy and water: Turn off lights when not in use, be mindful of thermostat settings, limit your time in the shower, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth

Many years ago, the Prophet Muhammad said, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler.”

Mohamed Irshad was reminded of these words as the world came to a virtual standstill in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said this on April 1, 2020:

We fell asleep in one world and woke up in another.

Suddenly Disney is out of magic,
Paris is no longer romantic,
New York doesn’t stand up anymore,
the Chinese wall is no longer a fortress, and Mecca is empty.

Hugs & kisses suddenly become weapons, and not visiting parents & friends becomes an act of love.

Suddenly you realize that power, beauty & money are worthless, and can’t get you the oxygen you’re fighting for.

The world continues its life and it is beautiful. It only puts humans in cages.

I think it’s sending us a message:

“You are not necessary. The air, earth, water and sky without you are fine. When you come back, remember that you are my guests. Not my masters.”

It’s been a month of Sundays since COVID-19 began its swift spread across our land. Some of us are growing anxious, weary, even stir-crazy. Take a moment today to restart, re-energize, even reinvent yourself. As beings of light, the easiest way to do this is to spend time outdoors, soaking up the sun (and some vitamin D, too.)

If it’s cloudy or rainy where you live, bring the sun inside as you sing along with The Beatles. And yes, it’s ALL RIGHT.

“Here Comes The Sun”

The carrot has been dangled. May 1st has become the targeted date for many businesses to reopen. That’s fourteen days from today. Are you ready? And by ready, I don’t mean ready to head to your place of employment, get a haircut or mani-pedi, or dine-in at your favorite restaurant. I mean, did you milk the global pause for all it’s worth?

Did you spend quality time with family? Did you engage with nature? Did you find creative ways to work from home and/or help kids with schoolwork? Did you check off items on a to-do list? Did you learn something about yourself that you never knew? Are you making a concerted effort to change—change the way you think, change the way you speak, change the way you live, change the way you engage with your community?

If restrictions do lessen in the coming days, I hope you’ll take time now to reflect on all that’s occurred, not only in the world at-large, but also within your own neck of the woods. Jot down a list of things you’re grateful for, and then make another list of things you intend to implement or do differently in the coming weeks and months. Post these lists where you can see them and refer to them daily. We are humans, creatures of habit, resisters of change. We’ll need reminders so as not to fall back into old habits and routines.

I’ll end with a little bit of a nudge from Karen Lamb:

” A year from now you will wish you had started today.”

For the past several weeks, I’ve been using the terms awakening, change, growth, lesson, opportunity, shift, timeout, and wake-up call when describing our current global situation. Yesterday while texting with kindred spirit, Rita, a new word was interjected into the mix—Jump.

Jump is a verb or action word, and we need action now more than ever. Merriam-Webster has two very relevant definitions:

-to start out or forward-BEGIN   I would suggest that we are at the threshold of a new beginning, one with infinite possibilities for change and growth. And so, we must JUMP into it, which leads to a second definition:

-to spring into the air-LEAP   This is our “leap of faith,” which implies doing something or believing in something that is uncertain, but we do it anyway.

Let us remember we are jumping into an opportunity to rewrite our course, and we must trust that this edit is for our greater good. Ray Bradbury says it this way:

“Sometimes you just have to jump out the window and grow wings on the way down.”

Gaslighting. I was unfamiliar with this term until reading an article by Julio Vincent Gambuto titled, “Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting.” 

I believe the messages contained within this essay are important, thought-provoking, even riveting. I hope you’ll invest a few minutes of your time and read it.

https://forge.medium.com/prepare-for-the-ultimate-gaslighting-6a8ce3f0a0e0

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of chatting with my friend and spiritual mentor, Sandra. During our conversation, we exchanged our thoughts and perceptions about the current global situation, including how feelings, words, and actions create our reality.

We live harried lives, always running from one thing to another—work, school, extra-curricular activities, appointments, errands, caring for aging parents, yada, yada, yada. When discussing our incessant “busyness,” Sandra and I noted how people often bemoan a lack of time. We mutter things like, “I wish I had more time,” or “I’ll do _______ when I have more time.” Take comments like these, multiply them by the masses of humans who’ve uttered them, and BAM! here we are. The Universe is perfect, always listening and doing its best to answer our pleas and prayers. Our wish for time has been granted.

There are at least two significant observations and/or lessons here. The first is be careful what you wish for, and the second is best said using the words of William Shakespeare:

“Make use of time, let not advantage slip.”

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

Today’s quote comes from Helen Keller. Ms. Keller, left deaf and blind from an illness contracted when she was nineteen months old, became a vocal champion for many issues still being discussed and debated today—woman’s suffrage, labor rights, socialism, and antimilitarism.

Fifty-plus years after her passing, Helen’s message has been condensed to a hashtag—AloneTogether. This is all well and good, however, remember words are just words unless followed by action. 

I think AloneTogether is our new global mantra. Believe it. Recite it. Practice it. Now and always.

I can lose all sense of time Googling inspirational and motivational quotes. I enjoy this process almost as much as contemplating their meaning. I conducted a search using terms I believe are relevant to our current global situation: awakening, change, growth, hope, optimism, and shift. I scanned a few hundred quotes before settling on one by the late Mahatma Gandhi. By the way, the term “mahatma” means great soul. And he is.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Week four of the COVID-19 lockdown is upon us. I assume many, if not most of us, have implemented and adjusted to new routines—working from home, homeschooling children, limiting errands to what’s essential, physical distancing, and more. I’d also like to believe that we’ve taken this gift of time to reinvent ourselves and our priorities, all while remaining positive as we navigate the shift that’s taking place.

I’d love to hear the ways you’ve made use of this time, as well as your plans to maintain these changes in the coming days, weeks, and months. Here’s a few things I’ve done or am doing with this newfound opportunity:

• I tidied up my recipe binder, and in the process unearthed several old favorites. I also husband-tested several new dishes, including main courses and desserts.
• After devouring my stash of library books, I surrendered to technology and am now reading on my iPad. A huge thank you to my local library for providing sites where books can be downloaded for free.
• Under the heading, “Learn Something New,” I decided to expand my knowledge of astrology and numerology. I’m doing this via YouTube videos, books, and by connecting with websites suggested by like-minded friends.
• As a way to spend time in nature, I walk daily, steering clear of fellow exercisers. I generally listen to music as I traverse the neighborhood, or catch-up with friends via cell phone.
• I’ve decided to start composting kitchen and yard waste and am scouring the internet for information. I hope to purchase a bin in the near future. Yes, I’m excited about making my own dirt.
• I charged the battery in my fancy schmancy digital camera and intend to get behind the lens this week. It’s likely I’ll snap images of my two favorite subjects—cows and trees. Yep, I’m weird.

Let me know what you’ve been up to. By sharing our stories, we stay connected, motivated, and uplifted. Just one of many gems embedded in this time of awakening, enlightenment, and rebirth.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen many social media posts that are inspiring, uplifting, and thought-provoking. Today, a former classmate, kindred spirit, and outstanding teacher of high school English shared the following quote from Sonya Renee Taylor. (Thanks, Beth.)

“We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate, and lack. We should not long to return, my friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.”   

I’ve read this paragraph several times, and I hope you’ll do the same. Consider it your daily ration of food-for-thought. I believe we’re awakening to a time of significant change, and it’s my hope that you’ll sign up for a new way of living, loving, thinking, creating, co-existing, and most importantly, being.