Step Back & Move Forward

“The oldest and strongest emotion is fear, and

 the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”

– H.P. Lovecraft

These are challenging times…

The unknown is a powerful fear and a new “C-word”, coronavirus, is gripping our consciousness. It’s everywhere, creating crisis, calamity and chaos, and weighing  heavily on our minds, our hearts and our souls.

IF we let it…

Yes, in these stressful times we should and must take extra care of our health and our loved ones. But we must also never let any of the many obstacles we face side-swipe us on this journey we call life.

It’s time to step back and take a deep breath… To be proactive, not reactive. It’s time to slow down and spend more time in self-care, to simplify life and become more introspective about what really matters.

It’s time to step back to move forward…

--Turn off the news for a while.

--Take a good, long, walk. Consciously pull the fresh crisp air into your lungs.

--Pour a nice, hot bath.

--Read a book you bought but never started.

--Use your phone to call someone you love and tell them you love them.

--Watch a movie you love or always wanted to watch but never did.

--Take a break from the constant bombardment of news and your smartphone.

--Spring clean early. Make sure your home is as safe as can be.

--Meditate, especially if you rarely do. Spend 5 precious minutes focusing on your breath.

--Write something. A blog or a poem or a letter to someone you love.

--Revel in your alone time. Get to know, “you.”

Good thoughts and good actions go into great results. So stay calm, think positively and pray often. Show compassion and empathy for the distressed. Share with them your hope, faith and strength. Tell them “Worry is praying for what we don’t want.” Help them deal with the present but focus on the future. 

Step back to move forward. We are in this together. We’ll be fine. Help is here. The world always turns. Let it. And always, always, always go where the love is.

-- Susan