‘One-off’ days

COVID-19 has collectively shifted life for most people. Instead of our days running one into another, as routines rule, and time flies, we have been forced to stop.

This quote from the 1600s by Blaise Pascal is timely for us: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

Instead of racing, competing and running to and fro trying to get ahead, we have stopped. Instead of feeling behind because we couldn’t keep up with all the appearances thrown at us as we were bombarded with written and photo evidence of other people’s perfect lives, everyone is home.

I notice that every day I have more real choices. Every day is a “one-off.” This pandemic has shown us collectively what before was the special knowledge made clear to people living with disease and illness. Now we all have a chance to understand together that each day happens only once. Each day, we make into our best day.

What seemed to be part of a planned sequence of days leading to an ultimate destination, was always a pervasive illusion.

Sure, we work towards our goals and visions. Sure, I’m writing this blog piece as part of a series that I hope to post and create interest in my writing. Sure, all of this is true, but we are being given a chance to stop erasing the other truth that the nature of each day is singular, a one-off, complete in itself.

I witness my own shifting during this time of being home. I recognize my own tendency to wake up and get going into the patterns I’ve created for myself. I love these patterns, I love my goals, but I’ve discovered a new freedom, that when included in my life, strengthens everything.

This new freedom has room for the structures we’ve built, but it also has room for us.

As we make choices, with new awareness, we can change in midstream, take a nap if we are tired, and pay attention to communication with family and friends in ways we’ve been too busy to do.

We are all discovering what our new kind of freedom means. I’m guessing that more will be accomplished without losing the potential that each day can be a one-ofa-kind piece of human art.

What do you think?

This pandemic has shown us collectively what before was the special knowledge made clear to people living with disease and illness. Now we all have a chance to understand together that each day happens only once. Each day, we make into our best day. MICHELLE TERRILL HEATH