We are in the midst of a highly teachable moment. There’s no doubt that this period will be referred to for the rest of our lifetimes. We have a chance to go deep, and to go broad. Globally, we’re in this together. Depth is being forced on us by great suffering, which as I like to say, always leads to great love.
Richard Rohr, spiritual writer, and Franciscan friar.
I’m a processor, not a reactor when it comes to things like the Covid-19 crisis. I don’t know what enneagram number I am, but I’m the one that likes to read and research everything before responding. Ask me on the spot and I’m a blithering mess of I’m-not-sure and I-don’t-know.
It’s a month since I returned from an unexpected trip to the UK. Back then, the virus was on the radar and I was waiting to see what would eventuate. Well, in the last month it’s gone ballistic and life as we know it has changed dramatically.
Staying at home and dealing with the fallout of cancelled travel plans, a lack of toilet paper, and my local café closing wasn’t too hard to deal with–it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, and a little sad but you deal with it.
Dealing with the sudden fallout of businesses closing, people losing their jobs, people getting really sick, isolation from friends and loved ones, and the overall atmosphere of anxiety is beginning to get a bit more serious.
Where do we go for information? Who do we listen to? What can we be sure of? Why is this happening? When will it be over?
We have so many questions and so many people trying to tell us things that it’s overwhelming. In my contemplations the last couple of weeks, I’ve been looking for wisdom amid heightened fear found in the headlines and posts on social media.
On the sixth of March, I attended an event where Elizabeth Gilbert was the speaker. She shared a lot of wisdom that day and it was as if she was aware that our world would be rocked in the next few days. Her central message was about being calm and the assurance that ‘It’s all going to be alright.’
As the days and weeks have passed since then those words have stuck with me. That’s the sort of voice we need to hear right now.
We need wisdom more than ever. We need calm, reason, encouragement, real answers that don’t gloss over truth, and a sense of perspective that assures that this will end and that life will go on, even if it’s a little different.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the collective wisdom from people I resonate with and that have something helpful to say for these turbulent times. I’m not sharing scientific facts and information on rates of transmission and treatments, but looking for the lessons we can learn through these times.
As a writer, I’m looking for the lessons behind the science, behind the headlines, and behind the social media frenzy. I’m sorting through the myriad voices that shout at us and looking for the quiet voices of wisdom. The quiet voices of wisdom that will carry us through and stay with us once we get to the other side of this season.
No one person has all the answers, we need collective wisdom to feed our souls and minds and help us to get through.
I’m also looking for the collateral beauty to be found in these dark days. The collateral beauty of people singing on balconies in Italy and the way my favourite book store in Florence delivers books and wine to isolated people. The children who are putting notes in neighbour’s letterboxes offering help. Sunrises and sunsets. These are the beautiful things I’m noticing as we navigate this most unprecedented and uncommon situation.
Just be sure to notice the collateral beauty, it’s the profound connection to everything.
From the movie, Collateral Beauty.
As we share this collective wisdom and look for the collateral beauty, the beauty we didn’t expect, the beauty that may have always been there but we’ve been too busy to notice, hopefully, we’ll come out the other side better as individuals, and stronger, wiser, more robust, clearer about our priorities, kinder as a society.
I think we’re coming out of a season of hustle where everyone was trying to push their agenda and personal achievements. In this season, I hope we’re learning how to harness the collective wisdom and come into a new season of real community and kindness.
I’m believing that on the other side of this crisis something new and fresh and hopeful will emerge and for that we need wisdom.
Our true work is to look after each other, to protect each other and to be of benefit to one another.
Bill Gates
Q: Have you found any pieces of wisdom or examples of collateral beauty that have helped you? Share your examples below.
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