CHUCK BERRY WAS RIGHT

This year started out with so much hope for us all, our lives brimming with potential and positivity, then February struck and like light switches, each nation was shut off one by one

We all have them — those bad days, bad times, the unfortunate year. See, I thought I reached my quota last year. I lost a lot of people, was in the middle of a move, just many different moving parts that all needed to be either done NOW or YESTERDAY. I was hoping that this year would have been a little respite for me and some other people I know who have had to deal with serious illnesses and losses last year.

Boy, was I wrong. In the 40-odd years I’ve been able to spend on this earth, I’ve learned one thing for sure and in spades: Chuck Berry was right, it goes to show you really never can tell.

This year started out with so much hope for us all, our lives brimming with potential and positivity, then

February struck and like light switches, each nation was shut off one by one. Since the lockdown and quarantine around the world and in our country, there has been a huge spike in the cases of mental illness, domestic abuse, pregnancies and illness. Besides that is a huge plate of uncertainty as well, and when put together, this is a recipe for absolute meltdown. We still don’t really know what’s coming up next, and sometimes you ask yourself… do I even want to know?

But I am learning, as I am sure most people have during these past four months, reluctantly on my end if I may add, of how to let go.

You know that game that friends play, the one where you’re asked, “If you could see when and how you die, would you?” or anything in a similar vein. My answer was always yes. I want to be prepared, I want to be able to know how much time I have left to spend with my family so I know exactly how I will spend it and make moments count. I went ahead and wanted to know the gender of my child before he was born so I could save on gifts and buying only exactly what I would need. But I am learning, as I am sure most people have during these past four months, reluctantly on my end if I may add, of how to let go.

And I mean really let go, and let the cards fall where they may.

I am now at the point of doing exactly what is expected of me, to ensure that my foundation is rock solid, so even if I and my loved ones will have to pivot at some point and for whatever reason, I can do so with some sort of ease.

I am learning to be able to be really flexible, without losing myself, and bending without breaking. Letting go is a hard lesson to learn, and I am sure that the universe still has quite a few lessons on this to throw my way, just for fun (oh goodness, I hope not!), but I know I will be able to ride the wave where it needs to take me, wherever that may be.

But I am holding fast (ok my control freak self is doing it) to the certainty of uncertainty. That is the thought that is ironically giving me some sort of comfort in the process, in our new normal, and that we should just all expect the unexpected, all the time.

I am hoping that this next half of the year is a little less painful for us all as Homosapiens and that we will all be able to keep moving forward, together and without breaking. And oh yeah, we all need to listen to Chuck Berry more.